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MR. ARCHIBALD FORDER IN EUROPEAN AND ARAB COSTUME 



/VENTURES 
AMONG THE ARABS 

IN DESERT, TENT, AND TOWN 



THIRTEEN YEARS OF PIONEER MISSIONARY LIFE 

WITH THE ISHMAELITES OF MOAB. EDOM 

AND ARABIA 



BY 
ARCHIBALD FORDER 

LATE OF KERAK, MOAB 



BOSTON 
PUBLISHED BY W. N. HARTSHORN 

1 20 BoYLSTON Street 

1905 



3^^. 



m 



1905 






Copyright, 1905, 
Bv W. N. HARTSHORN. 



Nattooot) $ne0 

J. 8. Cmhlng & Co. — Berwick u. Smith Co. 
Norwood, Ma89., U.S.A. 



TO A MUCH LOVED AND HONORED 

jFatjjer antr Jlotjjer 

WHO WILLINGLY CONSENTED TO THEIR SON 

GIVING HIS LIFE TO THE ARABS, AND FOR MANY 

YEARS PRAYED DAILY FOR THE SUCCESS 

OF HIS WORK, THIS BOOK IS 

©ctftcateti 



Of the world's pages, one is yet unread; 
One land still waits the pioneer's tread; 
'Tis Arabia, home of steed and palm, 
With millions needing yet the Gospel's healing 
balm, 

So 
Dim longings draw me on, and point my path, 
To Eastern sands, to Kedar's mystic land. 
The cradle of Islam. 



PREFACE 

The object of this book is not to gratify a 
love for sensational adventure, but to show 
how a life wholly given up to God's service 
can be used and spared under circumstances 
varied and often seemingly hopeless, and in 
the hope that many may be led to venture 
something on behalf of that great peninsula of 
Arabia of which it tells. It shows that the 
ventures of the pioneer missionary are full of 
adventures, trying, exciting, and interesting, 
and should dispel the illusion that his life is 
all honey and that in far-away lands he gen- 
erally has a good time. 

No attempt is made at literary perfection, or 
at a detailed geographical, historical, or other 
description of Arabia. My story is a simple 
record of ventures just as they occurred, a tran- 
script of personal experiences and beliefs. It 
is sent forth to what I believe is a sympathetic 



VI PREFACE 

public, and If through the perusal of its pages 
any one is led to a fuller and deeper consecra- 
tion in the work of evangelizing the nations of 
the world, my time, labor, and thought will have 
been well expended. 

A. FORDER. 
Boston, Mass., 
May, 1905. 



CONTENTS 



I. A Rough Reception .... 

II. Getting into Moab .... 

III. Who was Captured .... 

IV. " Who are the Bedouin "... 
V. New Experiences under Difficulties 

VI. Through Trials Enemies become Friends 

VII. Trying Times in Trying Places . 

VIII. Encouragement from Unexpected Quarters 

IX. In Competition with Native Doctors . 

X. At the Mercy of Murderers, Brigands, and Raging 

Seas . . . . . 

XI. Unlooked-for Changes and More Persecutions 

XII. Into New Regions, among Superstitious Zealots 

XIII. Arabia the Desert of the Sea 

XIV. Attempts to enter Arabia end in Capture, Prison 

and Broken Bones .... 

XV. A Fourth Venture brings me to the Desert'; 

Edge 

XVI. Between Druze and Arab I get into the Desert 

XVII. A Kind Chief but Unkind Subjects . 

XVIII. Ten Days on the Desert .... 

XIX. The Chief's Plan to capture me for Islam 

XX. A Calamity that nearly cost me my Life 



I 

6 
i6 
24 
31 
44 
52 
65 
76 

86 
106 
120 
130 

141 

151 

167 
180 
198 
206 
224 



VI 11 



CONTENTS 



XXI. Exciting Times in Desert and Town 

XXII. The Religion of the Arabs . 

XXIII. Customs substantiating Scripture 

XXIV. Arabia in its Relation to the Bible 
XXV. A Look Ahead .... 



rAGB 

234 

247 
258 
280 

290 



LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS 



Facing Page 

An Arab Sheik 30 

Arab Encampment 12 

A Bedouin Tent 75 

Archibald Forder in European and Arab Costume . . Title 

An Arab Fiddler 277 

Arabs of Moab, Dwellers in Tents 24 , 

Arabs of Northern Arabia 212 

Aaron's Tomb in Edom 128 

Bird's-Eye View of Damascus 289 

Bedouin Women, Daughters of the Desert 95 

Castle of the Jowf 224 

Coffee Maker, The 119 

Caravan resting after a Journey 179 

Calvary, Outside the Wall 152 

Crossing the Desert 205 

Christian Woman of Moab 150 

Drawing Water at Beersheba 125 

Druze Chiefs 166 

Enjoying a Social Meal 102 

Eastern Caravansary, An 119 

Fords of Amon, The 75 

Forder, Mrs., the Wife of the Author 106 

Gathering Salt in the Desert 224 

Getting ready to move House 166 

Hagar's Well in the Desert of Beersheba 125 



X LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS 

Facing Page 

Interior of an Arab House 9 

Mr. Forder's Home in Moab 52 

Marid, the Stronghold of the Jowf 205 

Map of Arabia 292 

Mrs. Khykhan, the Chief's Wife 189 

Mr. Forder when sitting with the Arabs 85 

North Shores of the Dead Sea 102 

Old Tower and Castle at Sulkhu 152. 

Ovens used by the Arabs 43 

Palm with Fruit Ripe unto Harvest 233 

Pharaoh's Treasury, the Masterpiece of Edom .... 286 

Stone Doors, Bashan 160 

Section of the Sik (Ravine), Arabia Petrea 132 

Temporary Hospital in the Desert, A 189 

The Chief of Kaf 179 

View on the River Jordan 9 

View on the River Abana 257 

Water Skins filled, ready for a Journey 197 

Woman with Money on Head 64 

Women grinding at the Mill 277 

Woman chvuning Butter 242 



INTRODUCTION 

[Bv Special Permission from " With the Arabs in Tent and Town."] 

CONSULATE OF THE UNITED STATES 
OF AMERICA 

To whom it may concern: 

Dear Sir or Madame, — 

This letter introduces Mr. Archibald Forder, 
who is well known to me. He is a tireless, 
faithful, devoted Christian worker. He is fear- 
less, and has labored with indefatigable zeal. 
He enjoys pioneer and missionary work better 
than any other man I have ever seen. Only I 
last year (1900) he went alone into the heart I 
of Arabia, and nearly perished because the 
hardships were so great. He is a regular 
Livingstone, and if there were still any "un- 
known continent," Mr. Forder would be the 
man to open it up to Christianity. In con- 
nection with some established Society, or under 



xii ACKNOWLEDGMENTS 

the direction of some judicious Board of Trus- 
tees, I am sure that Mr. Forder would do 
most excellent work. His character is above 
reproach, and in this country he is respected 
by all who know him. 

I remain, yours respectfully, 

(Hon.) Selah Merrill, LL.D. 
U. S. Consul, Jerusalem. 

September 23, 1901. 



ACKNOWLEDGMENTS 

For the twin photographs reproduced as 
frontispiece, we are indebted to J. C. Varney, 
Haverhill, Mass., and for the photograph facing 
page 85, thanks are due to Van B. Wheaton, 
Amsterdam, N.Y. 



'VENTURES AMONG THE ARABS 
CHAPTER I 

A ROUGH RECEPTION 

IT was fast growing dark, and we were 
eagerly anticipating the end of our long 
and fatiguing journey. Four days we had been 
on the way from Jerusalem, and one more night 
should bring us to our new home among the 
thousands of Ishmaelites, in Kerak, the old 
Moabitish capital, on the highlands and in the 
mountains of that little-known region. 

The leader of our little caravan ordered the 
loads to be put on the camels and mules for 
this final stage of the journey. With fear and 
trembling our faithful men adjusted them, then 
grasping their heavy sticks and slinging their 
flintlock guns over their backs, with a " Bis- 
mallah " — " In the name of God " — led off, 
hoping that before daybreak we would be 
housed in the old city, only twenty-five or 
thirty miles ahead. 

We mounted our animals and brought up 
the rear. In the twilight we could see the 
caravan ahead of us urged on by our men, but 



2 A ROUGH RECEPTION 

no sound was uttered. For we were now in 
the land of Moab, among a people noted for 
their lawlessness, dwellers in houses of hair, 
keepers of flocks and herds, whose hand was 
against every man, and every man's hand 
against them — a people who looked with sus- 
picion upon any one who dared to enter their 
country uninvited, and who were ready at a 
moment's notice to attack, rob, and even kill, 
so that the purses and purposes of the chiefs 
and their many attendants might be filled and 
upheld ; and after plunder and even murder 
return to their camps, pull down and fold up 
their tents, and migrate to some region inacces- 
sible to any who might purpose revenge for any 
such treatment as just described. 

Was it any wonder that our good Arab at- 
tendants kept quiet lest they should bring down 
on us some of the bloodthirsty, greedy children 
of Ishmael ? But in spite of quiet and care we 
were not to be allowed to pass unmolested or 
to reach our mountain home without inter- 
ruption. 

It was about seven in the evening, and quite 
dark, when suddenly, without any warning, we 
were surrounded by a large number of fierce 
fellows armed with rifles, spears, daggers, and 
revolvers. They appeared to come from be- 



A ROUGH RECEPTION 3 

neath, so quickly were they upon us. Their 
mode of operation was well planned and carried 
out. First they separated us, then some drove 
off the loaded animals that in the stampede and 
surprise had been deserted by their drivers. 
Others of these unexpected arrivals took as a 
prisoner one of our little company, and in a 
few minutes after the attack no one knew where 
the other was. 

Who were the newcomers? some will be 
asking. They were a company of Arabs be- 
longing to the ruling family of Moab, and 
known as the MujelHes. They were famous and 
feared, because of their ferocity and daring. 
Somehow they had learned of our coming and 
had been lying in wait for us, prepared to give 
us not only a surprise, but a rough and dis- 
couraging reception to their country. It was 
neither the place or time for talking, so each 
one, still riding, was led off in charge of three 
or four of these unwelcome fellows. 

I heard my wife calling for me, her voice 
came from somewhere on my right, so without 
any notice to my captors I slipped off my horse, 
and before they realized what had occurred I 
was running in the direction from whence the 
sound of my wife's voice had come. Stumbling 
over stones and bushes in the darkness, I at 



4 A ROUGH RECEPTION 

last came upon a little group. In the midst 
was my wife, still seated upon her mule. Around 
her were some six or eight men, some on horses, 
others on foot. They were trying to make her 
understand that they wanted any valuables that 
she might have. 

Fierce and lawless as they were, their 
social custom kept them from laying hands 
on a woman, much as they might covet and 
wish to have any valuables that she might pos- 
sess. I had already been overhauled, with a 
very poor result, however, for I had nothing 
worth taking, having anticipated some such 
experience as this. I had stoutly resisted the 
first man who started to make the acquaintance 
of my pockets and saddle-bags. Thinking to 
frighten me into submission, he drew out a long 
curved dagger and held it in a threatening way 
over me, but I put up my arm and knocked 
it out of his hands, and he thought it wise to 
desist from interfering with me. 

Pushing between the horses and men that 
surrounded my wife, I, by signs and shouting, 
protested against their actions. At that time 
I only knew a few words of Arabic. They 
were joined, a few minutes later, by my captors, 
who had followed me after I had given them 
the slip. Together we all moved off, I walking 



A ROUGH RECEPTION 5 

by the side of my wife's mule and doing my best 
to encourage and cheer her. Many times our 
captors urged me to ride, but to no purpose. 

All this time we knew nothing about our 
companions who were able to speak the lan- 
guage, or anything about the loads or our faith- 
ful attendants. For about an hour we went on 
in the dark. Often I stumbled over stones, or 
put my foot into some hole in the dry, parched 
ground, but I held on to the bridle of the mule, 
and in spite of sore feet and bleeding legs, 
pricked by stout thorns or nettles, at last saw 
in the distance the lights of camp-fires, and 
knew that the homes of our captors were near, 
and for a time, at least, this part of our journey 
was about at an end. Furious dogs rushed 
hither and thither, announcing our coming" 
with their shrill, harsh barking. 

A few minutes later we halted before one of 
the tents in a large encampment and were in- 
vited to enter, which we did, conscious of the 
fact that we were the prisoners of the Bedouin, 
and our temporary prison a house of hair. 



CHAPTER II 

GETTING INTO MOAB 

THE previous chapter left my companions 
and myself captives in a house of hair on 
the wide plains of Moab. Let me now relate 
how I reached the place and circumstances 
already told. 

My wife and self left England on Thursday, 
September 3, 1891. We were sent off with 
many good wishes and the blessings and ear- 
nest prayers of our parents and friends. In due 
time we reached Jaffa, the port of Southern 
Palestine, and were welcomed there by Mr, and 
Mrs. Lethaby, whose place we had come to take 
for a time. Here I had my first Arabic lesson 
— one that was short, comparatively easy, but 
very helpful. The agent who undertook for us 
in the landing and customs taught me the 
equivalent in Arabic for " What is that ? " 
Armed with my first two words of that difficult 
language, I went ahead and soon learned the 
names of many things, until able to converse 
with the people. 

6 



GETTING INTO MOAB 7 

As the way to Moab was through Jerusalem, 
we hired carriages to drive to the Holy City. 
The railroad was not open in those days. After 
a weary ride we reached Jerusalem and were 
lodged in a comfortable home. On Wednes- 
day morning, September 30, we started for 
Moab. The old capital, Kerak, — Kir of the 
Old Testament, — was our destination, and had 
we then known all that was to befall us, we 
would not have set out so light-heartedly. 
Our companions, Mr. and Mrs. Lethaby, rode in 
rude crates slung across a camel's back. Mrs. 
Forder and myself were accommodated in a 
similar fashion. We moved along like snails, 
and after having ridden until we were all stiff 
and tired, our camel man at last yielded to our 
pleadings and persuasions, and consented to 
stop and rest awhile. In ten minutes we 
started again. O dear! that day's journey to 
Jericho is still in my mind; the jolting and 
rocking on that camel's back, under the scorch- 
ing sun, was almost unbearable. To add to 
our miseries, that stubborn camel would insist 
on walking along the very edges of the steep 
precipices so common on the Jericho road. If 
we touched it on the neck to guide it to the 
middle of the road, the beast would stop and 
commence to kneel. The calmness of that 



8 GETTING INTO MOAB 

beast greatly added to our discomforts that first 
day out. If it turned back its long neck to 
knock a troublesome fly off its hindquarters, we 
thought it was after a bite at our legs, that 
dangled over the sides of the crates in which 
we were seated. 

At last we sighted Jericho in the plains 
below, and at length reached the village. We 
were tired and exhausted, and were grateful for 
the shelter and warm water supplied by the 
woman in charge of the Russian hospice there. 
We tried to sleep, but the heat and innumer- 
able occupants of our beds made it impossible. 

About two next morning we were up and 
again on the move. In the dark our camels 
followed their master across the level plain of 
Jericho. At daybreak we reached the banks 
of the historic river, and our man, throwing 
aside his garments, proceeded to ford the Jor- 
dan. In turn both camels were led through 
the river; two donkeys swam across, closely 
following the camels. Our man carried our 
packages across on his head, and after many 
fordings at length got everything over. It was 
an interesting sight in the cool and light of the 
early morning. We rested about half an hour, 
and had our breakfast off dry bread and Jordan 
water, which, if not luxurious, was satisfying. 




PHOTOGRAPH BY A. FOROER 



VIEW ON THE RIVER JORDAN 

This view on the river is near the fords over which the Israehtes crossed. It is about five 
miles from Jericho. The picture was taken from the wooden bridge that spans the river 
at that point. Mr. Forder crossed here on his first jovimey into Moab. 




INTERIOR OF AN ARAB HOUSE 
This shows the fireplace in the middle of the floor and the mud bins in which grain, salt, 
or flour is stored. In the recesses on the left side the family sleep, the floor generally 
being occupied bv guests. These houses have neither wmdows nor chimneys. 



GETTING INTO MOAB 9 

The ride across the plains of the Jordan was 
long and tiresome. The heat was terrific, and 
the Moab mountains seemed never to come 
nearer. But they at last were reached, and the 
ascent commenced. Slowly and calmly those 
camels went about their difficult task — up and 
down places that seemed impossible for any 
animal to venture, along the edges of deep 
ravines, over rocks with surfaces worn smooth 
and slippery by much traffic and exposure to 
storms and winds, and at last out on to the 
extensive and fertile plains of Moab, at that 
season of the year dry and cracked after the 
heat of the long summer. We passed close 
under the shadow of Mount Nebo, but were 
too weary to realize it or give much thought 
to the first leader of Israel who died there on 
that lonely spur in the mountain range. 

Fifteen hours after leaving Jericho we 
reached Medeba, a large village on the plain. 
How thankful we were for the warm welcome 
given us by the chief of the place ! He spread 
rugs and comforts on the floor for us, on which 
we lay, glad to stretch and rest our weary 
limbs. The house was just one large room ; on 
each side were raised recesses, in which the 
family slept or stored their goods. Wide 
arches supported the roof, which was made 



10 GETTING INTO MOAB 

of a thick layer of mud and earth held up by 
beams of wood. 

In usual Arab style supper was prepared 
and served. Two baked fowls, boiled rice, and 
warm bread made a very decent meal. We 
ate our fill ; what remained was given to those 
who flocked in to gaze at us. Coffee followed, 
served in small cups ; a tablespoonful was all 
we got, and for us it sufficed, for it was thick 
and strong, and minus milk or sugar. By that 
time a lot of men had crowded the house and 
had seated themselves around the fire, which 
was in a hollow in the middle of the floor. 
Midst their noisy jabber and the smoke of the 
fire and numerous pipes we fell asleep, and for 
a short time were oblivious to our new and 
strange surroundings. Awaking soon after, we 
were not long in discovering that myriads of 
minute bloodsuckers had attacked us, evidently 
with the intention of drawing all they could 
from the newcomers. We learned to our dis- 
may that Medeba was the residence of the king 
and queen of the flea community, and that 
they never delayed investigating any one who 
tarried for a time in their domains. A few 
snatches of sleep refreshed us and helped to 
pass away that lively night. 

I ought to have said that our heavy baggage 



GETTING INTO MOAB II 

left Jerusalem on five mules about two hours 
before us the day we started ; these we over- 
took at Medeba. We did not expect to set out 
again for a day or two, but about ten o'clock 
Friday morning they said they were going on. 
Our camels had gone back to Jerusalem, so 
we commenced the second stage of our journey 
on horses and mules. The next two days' ride 
meant danger and delay unless we were fortu- 
nate enough to get along unseen. 

Late in the afternoon we entered the enemy's 
territory and kept moving on until quite dark. 
About forty men and animals now formed our 
caravan, many having decided to travel with 
us, because in numbers there was safety. 
Without a sound from each other we traversed 
those plains in the dark. Suddenly we were 
surrounded by ten or twelve men of the Ham- 
eideh tribe, through whose country we were 
travelling without consent. In the starlight 
they looked awful fellows, armed with rifles, 
revolvers, and swords, and spears about twelve 
feet long. After much shouting and talk, 
which to us was unintelligible, they separated 
us, and drove off all the loaded animals, after 
which they left us to come together again and 
proceed on our way, not knowing what had 
gone with our baggage. 



12 GETTING INTO MOAB 

After about two hours we reached an en- 
campment of houses of hair, where we passed 
the remainder of the night. Before morning 
all the loaded animals were driven in, having 
been regained by our faithful muleteers. By 
daybreak we were again on the move, hoping 
that before night we should be safely housed 
in Kerak. Soon we descended into the grand 
but deep gorge of Mojeb. We crossed the 
river Arnon, which flows through the bed of 
the valley, and were delighted with the abun- 
dance of white and pink oleanders that grew 
on its banks. We reached the Kerak side of 
that magnificent gorge about ten in the morn- 
ing ; here we decided to stay till sunset, for we 
had now reached the territory of the robber 
chiefs of Moab, known as the Mujellies. 

Our men knew that if we fell into the hands 
of these dreaded chiefs, they would show us 
no mercy. We found shade and shelter under 
a large rock, so placed that even passers-by 
could not see us unless we wilfully exposed 
ourselves. We had not been in hiding long 
when we heard a noisy wrangle going on 
among our men. Mrs. Lethaby crept out 
and caught sight of the long spear of a sheikh, 
or chief. He had come upon our men and 
said that some of them had robbed one of his 



GETTING INTO MOAB 1 3 

tribe of a gun, and he must have something in 
return for it. After a stormy quarrel he drove 
away a mule on which he had loaded our beds, 
a box of our clothing, and my baby organ. 
We gave up all hope of ever seeing them 
again, but counted ourselves fortunate in get- 
ting them returned to us several weeks later. 

The remainder of the day passed quietly, 
and the rest prepared us for the events re- 
corded in the first chapter. There we were in 
a Bedouin tent, and from that point I take up 
the story. 

My wife and self were taken into one of those 
goat's-hair homes. Carpets were spread for us 
to sit on. Men, women, and children crowded 
in to stare at us, and we concluded that they 
were all gratified at the capture that had been 
made. Soon it occurred to one of them that we 
might be hungry, so they asked us by means of 
signs if we would eat. We nodded our assent, 
and soon they baked us some large, thin cakes 
of bread, which were very good. They also 
made us coffee and brought us a large bowl of 
milk. It was perhaps well for us that we could 
not talk to them ; we wished we could have done 
so, then we might have got tidings of our com- 
panions and our belongings. 

In about an hour's time one of our men came 



14 GETTING INTO MOAB 

to US and made us understand that we were 
wanted elsewhere. We got up and followed 
him. He led us to a tent on the far side of 
the encampment, and there we found our com- 
panions. They were in the tent of the chief, 
surrounded by his wild sons and rapacious reti- 
nue. The chief demanded money for our pas- 
sage through his country. Fifty dollars must 
be his before we were released, or else he would 
keep us and all our goods. To many the sum 
demanded would have been small, but to us 
and to them it was much, so we refused to 
gratify the crafty Arab's demands. 

We prayed to God for wisdom and deliver- 
ance, then laid down on the bare earth and fell 
asleep. On awaking next morning, we saw 
some of our boxes lying about the camp at 
any one's mercy. Soon the women began to 
pull down the tents and move the camp, and 
we plainly saw that we must settle something 
or else lose all we possessed. 

We promised to pay the amount demanded 
on the condition that we were escorted to 
Kerak in safety, and all our baggage restored 
to us. Three of the chief's sons were appointed 
to go with us and take us to our mountain home. 
Another start was made, but after an hour or so 
we were accosted by more Arab horsemen, all 



GETTING INTO MOAB 1 5 

excited and furious. Every one was allowed to 
pass but my wife and myself. These new 
claimants to us were from another family con- 
nected with the ruling sheikh, and they de- 
manded their share of the plunder before we 
could pass. After much wrangling our pro- 
tectors got us away and we overtook the 
others. 

At three in the afternoon we reached Kerak, 
all weary, tired, and faint, for we had had neither 
food nor drink for fifteen hours. In this man- 
ner I was introduced to the Arabs. Ofttimes 
afterward I talked with those wild fellows 
about that night, only to have them reply — 
" What's past is past, and what's dead is dead." 

Through all those first experiences, new and 
hard on fresh comers, we showed no outward 
signs of fear or terror. We realized then, as 
we have many times since, that " the angel of 
the Lord encampeth round about them that 
fear him, and delivereth them." It was only 
the commencement of much, and even worse, 
that was to follow before the love, respect, con- 
fidence, and admiration of those semi-civilized 
children of Ishmael were gained, never to be 
lost. 



CHAPTER III 

WHO WAS CAPTURED 

SOME knowledge about the author of this 
book and his early life will enable the 
reader better to follow and understand all that 
these pages may contain. 

Silver spoons were not floating around in 
the home where I first saw the light. I was 
one of seven children, who were fortunate in 
having godly parents in the fullest sense of the 
word. Worldly prosperity was not ours, neither 
were we poor, and the future promised no more 
for me than the humdrum plod, plod, of every- 
day life. It was when I was a lad of eight 
years that an announcement, made throughout 
my native city, created a desire in my young 
mind to hear a public speaker. Robert Moffat, 
the pioneer of missions in Africa, was coming 
to speak, and I gained permission from rather 
unwilling parents to go and hear him. The 
unwillingness came not from any wish or 
thought that it was no place for one so young 
in years, but rather because they thought that 

i6 



WHO WAS CAPTURED 1 7 

bed was a more suitable place than a crowded 
hall for one of so short an existence. 

When the night came, I had a front seat in 
that hall. The lights, crowds, close attention 
paid to the speaker, and other things still linger 
in my memory, but the veteran pioneer, with 
his bald head and long, gray beard, held me as 
no other ever did. The plea for the Hotten- 
tots and for volunteers appealed to some, but 
perhaps the thing that pleased me as a boy was 
the story of the lion jumping out of the jungle 
and gripping Mr. Moffat by the shoulder, and 
his faithful servant killing the wild beast, thus 
saving his master's life. Before that meeting 
was over I had made up my mind that I would 
be a missionary when I grew up. I made 
known my boyish resolve to my mother on 
my return home that evening, and for a time 
no more was heard of it. Later on my interest 
in foreign missions was renewed by hearing 
one who had spent many years in China, and 
I again determined to spend my life among the 
heathen. 

For a few years I was quite an enthusiastic 
and successful collector for foreign missions. 
Most of my half-holidays, which came on 
Wednesdays and Saturdays, were given up to 
going from door to door asking for contribu- 



1 8 WHO WAS CAPTURED 

tions in the box that I had gotten from a mis- 
sionary society. Discouragements and rebuffs 
did not deter me from going ahead, and I was 
soon noted for being a successful collector. 
This work was often made pleasant by some 
incident like the following. 

One hot afternoon I was out collecting. A 
knock at a door brought a kind-hearted do- 
mestic to inquire who was there. " Will you 
please put something in my missionary box ? " 
was the request. The response was not money, 
but, " Come in, little boy, and I will ask my 
mistress." I entered and was shown into a 
nicely furnished room to await developments. 
The servant told her mistress about me, and in 
a short time the lady of the house appeared. 
She asked a few questions, which I answered, 
evidently to her satisfaction, for she rang the 
bell, and in came the servant again. " Bring 
in some refreshments for this boy," said the 
lady, and soon the domestic came back with a 
small tray, on which were some fancy crackers, 
cake, and a bottle of wine. 

A glass of the latter was poured out and 
offered to me, but being a Band of Hope boy, 
I refused to accept it. My refusal resulted in 
lemonade being substituted for the wine, to 
which, along with the cake and crackers, I did 



WHO WAS CAPTURED 1 9 

boyish justice. After refreshments I returned 
to business, and had the joy of seeing a coin, 
worth about sixty cents, added to the collection 
in my box. 

When only thirteen years of age, I left home 
and was apprenticed to the baking and grocery 
business, in which I served for three years. At 
the end of that time, and during a brief stay at 
home, I was led to give my heart to Christ, 
through the patience and persuasion of my old 
Sunday-school teacher. No better prepara- 
tion than this could possibly have preceded my 
going to live in the great city of London, 
a place full of dangers and temptations to 
young fellows from country towns. Arrived in 
the great metropolis, I soon got a good position 
in a wholesale and retail grocery store, in which, 
after a remarkably short time for one so young 
in years, I soon became manager. 

I owe my success in those days to two 
things: my not being ashamed of my re- 
ligious convictions and my strict adherence to 
my temperance pledge. After business hours 
my evenings, as well as my Sundays, were 
given up to work in slum missions, Sunday- 
schools, or young people's temperance societies. 
I was made missionary secretary to a large 
Sunday-school in London and raised the mis- 



20 WHO WAS CAPTURED 

sionary collections in that school from about 
eighty dollars a year to more than three hun- 
dred. I came into contact with missionary 
pioneers and veterans from all parts of the 
earth, and all the while was getting more 
and more saturated with missionary zeal and 
information. 

About this time I applied to the pastor of 
my church, who was in close touch with the 
missionary society of the denomination to 
which I belonged, and asked him if he could 
assist me to get into the foreign-mission field. 
He heard me patiently, and then with grave 
face and solemn tones addressed me thus : 
" Young man, I fear you are one of the most 
unlikely to get into the mission field. Many 
things are against you: you have no college 
training, you do not come of a ministerial 
stock," and other things, all true, but not neces- 
sary to the preaching of the simple gospel in 
any land. I left that study thinking that there 
was no possibility of my ever leaving my own 
land to preach the gospel in any other, so 
settled down to do my best in the home land. 

In 1888 I married, went into business on 
my own account, but in my spare time kept 
busy with Christian work of one kind and 
another. I had yet to learn the truth of the 



WHO WAS CAPTURED 21 

words spoken by the ancient seer, " My ways 
are not your ways ; " also that — 

God moves in a mysterious way 
His wonders to perform. 

God looketh at the heart of man, and knows 
his desires, whilst man looks at the outward 
appearance and possibilities, so let none despair. 
I was quite settled in my home and prosper- 
ing in my business when unexpectedly my 
opportunity came and my long desire was re- 
alized. It was nearly three years after my inter- 
view with the ministerial sage that the whole 
course of my life was changed. I had returned 
from my Sunday-school duties, and was reading 
a missionary magazine. It contained an article 
on mission work among the Arabs in the old 
land of Moab on the east side of the river 
Jordan. The work was one of great danger, 
hardship, and difficulty, and was being carried 
on by a married couple and one young woman. 
As I read I was interested, and especially with 
the last words, in which an appeal was made for a 
young married man, practical, healthy, and ready 
to rough it, to go and help in this work, so that 
the tired-out workers might have a much-needed 
rest. I closed the paper, and as I laid it aside 
a voice seemed to say to me, " That is for you." 



22 WHO WAS CAPTURED 

I could not get away from the Impression 
made on me, and in a few days wrote to the 
secretary of that little mission, which was sup- 
ported by a few of God's own whole-hearted 
people, most of them by this time in the glory 
land. 

The secretary was the Rev. George Piercy, 
one of the pioneers of missions in China. The 
answer to my letter was a visit from the head 
of that work and a promise of favorable con- 
sideration. But there were difficulties in the 
way of my acceptance, — a paying business, a 
comfortable home, — and it meant sacrifice to 
give up these and go and start life among the 
Arabs in the isolated and dangerous land of 
Moab. 

For four months the matter dropped. Then 
came a letter saying — if I was still in the same 
mind, the committee would consider sending us 
out. We were accepted; in a short time my 
business and home were disposed of satisfac- 
torily, and we were free to go. A few months 
of practical training in hospitals was given each 
of us, which over and over again has proved 
invaluable during the past fourteen years. My 
leaving England for that far-away, little-known 
land was a severe trial to my parents ; quite 
recently they had buried two of my brothers, and 



WHO WAS CAPTURED 23 

my going away was like a third break in the 
family circle. They, however, committed me to 
God, and have never regretted the sacrifice it 
meant to them to see me leave my own land, 
possibly never to return. 

The reader will now understand better the 
conditions and reasons that led to my entering 
the mission field. It was " Not by might, nor 
by power, but by my Spirit, saith the Lord," 
and now that many years have passed since I 
started that new life, and circumstances many 
and various have been crowded into my life, I 
can truly say, I am sure it was God's call to 
me, and I have never regretted the step I took, 
or the sacrifice I made, to enable less fortunate 
ones to come to a knowledge of him who "is 
not willing that any should perish, but that all 
should come to repentance." 



CHAPTER IV 



WHO ARE THE BEDOUIN 



THE preceding chapter has told briefly 
what circumstances led the writer to a 
people most of whom live " 'neath houses of 
hair," It will here be suitable to introduce 
the reader to the nation among whom the ex- 
periences told in these pages occurred. 

The modern Arab is a perjDetuated reality of 
the ancient Ishmaelite. Next to the Jews, no 
nation has had such an unbroken or interesting 
history. It would be out of place in this vol- 
ume to attempt any detailed secular account 
of the history of the Arab ; let the Biblical ac- 
count suffice. 

There can be no doubt that Ishmael was the 
founder of the great Arab race. Four promises 
made concerning the seed of Abraham and 
Hagar are fulfilled before us in these days. 
They were as follows : — 

To Hagar (Gen. xvi. lo). 

" I will multiply thy seed exceedingly, that it 
shall not be numbered for multitude." 

24 




PHOTOGRAPH BY *. FORDER 



ARABS OF MOAB, DWELLERS IN TENTS 

These are the three men who were with Mr. Forder when the horses so intelhgently gave the 
alarm on the approach of robbers. The man on the left-hand side is " Old Faithful," who 
has accompanied the author on so many of his journeys among the Arabs. These men belong 
to the same tribe, and generally camp east of Kerak in Moab. 



"WHO ARE THE BEDOUIN" 25 

To Abraham (Gen. xvii. 20). 

" As for Ishmael, Behold, I have blessed him, 
and will make him fruitful, and will multiply 
him exceedingly, . . . and I will make him a 
great nation." 

To Abraham (Gen. xxi. 13). 

" Of the son of the bondwoman will I make 
a nation, because he is thy seed." 

To Hagar (Gen. xxi. 18). 

" Arise, lift up the lad, and hold him in thy 
hand; for I will make him a great nation." 

Thirteen millions of people, proud of their 
descent from Abraham and Ishmael, represent 
the fulfilment of these four promises. 

" He shall dwell in the presence of all his 
brethren" (Gen. xvi. 12) has its fulfilment in 
an unbroken occupation of their land by the 
Ishmaelites as a nation. Invaders, one after 
another, have tried in vain to get the Arab's 
country, but have failed. Ishmael, represented 
by the Arab, dwells before all the nations of the 
earth to-day, and no section of his country has 
been taken by any of the Christian powers of 
the earth, although at a few points on the coast 
protection is guaranteed to some of the chiefs 
by Great Britain or France. 

The names of the twelve sons of Ishmael, 
recorded in Genesis xxv. 13, 14, 15, have not 



26 "WHO ARE THE BEDOUIN" 

altogether been superseded by more modern 
designations. Many of the names with only 
some slight variation in pronunciation or trans- 
posing are still found in Arabia. Towns, lo- 
calities, and even families bear some of the 
names exactly as they are given in the above 
reference. 

That Arabia has always been the home and 
land of the Arab proper there is no doubt. 
Long before the children of Israel possessed 
the promised land, the descendants of Abra- 
ham through Ishmael possessed their land. 
"And they dwelt from Havilah unto Shur, that 
is before Egypt" (Gen. xxv. i8) is sufficient 
proof that they occupied the peninsula of 
Arabia. A thousand years later their land was 
spoken of by Isaiah as " the desert of the 
sea" (xxi. i). 

Division of the Nation. — The Arabs soon 
became divided into two communities, — the set- 
tled and the nomadic. The Revised Version 
of Genesis (xxv. i6) speaks of the villages and 
encampments of Ishmael. Hundreds of years 
after, in Isaiah xlii. ii, we read of the encamp- 
ments that Kedar doth inhabit, " lit." Later 
again Jeremiah speaks about the tents, cur- 
tains, flocks, vessels, and camels of Kedar, and 
also refers to this people as a nation, " wealthy, 



"WHO ARE THE BEDOUIN" 27 

dwelling without care, having neither gates nor 
bars, dwelling alone" (Jer. xlix. 28-31). The 
Bedouin are that section of the great Arab 
nation that are referred to above. 

Every Bedouin is an Arab, but all Arabs are 
not Bedouin. A Bedouin is one who neither 
ploughs nor sows ; he breeds flocks of goats and 
sheep and herds of camels. His home is in 
the wilderness or desert. His food he gets 
from the towns and villages of Arabia, giving 
stock in exchange for dates, grain, and the few 
other necessities of life. The dwelling of the 
nomad or Bedouin is a black tent, literally " a 
house of hair," so called from its being made 
entirely of goat's hair, which is collected, spun, 
and woven by the women in those lands. " Black 
as the tents of Kedar" (S. Sol. i. 5) is not 
an imaginary expression, but a literal one, the 
hair of the Arabian goat from which these 
tents are made being black. Kedar, the second 
son of Ishmael (Gen. xxv. 13), was probably 
the founder of the nomadic section of the Arab 
race now called Bedouin. 

Nebaioth, the first-born of Ishmael (Gen. xxv. 
13), settled in the caves and dens of the moun- 
tains of Arabia, and later in their history built 
houses which eventually became settlements. 
The settled Arab looks despisingly at the 



28 "WHO ARE THE BEDOUIN" 

Bedouin and considers him much below him 
in every way. Call a town or village dweller 
a Bedouy and you insult him. On the other 
hand, the desert dweller pities the settled peo- 
ple, because they are debarred from enjoying 
the liberty and healthy life of the desert. 

Both sections, however, have many things in 
common : their hospitality is proverbial and 
wonderful ; in religion they hang together, al- 
though the city people are more strict in their 
religious observances than the unfettered nom- 
ads. The style of dress varies little. The 
women in the towns and villages are generally 
secluded, whilst the women of the " houses of 
hair " go unveiled and have their liberty. 

The Arabs as a nation have not always been 
prominent in either Biblical or secular history, 
but certain allusions to them, from time to time, 
strikingly remind us of their continuous exist- 
ence. It was to a company of Ishmaelites that 
Joseph was sold and taken into Egypt. Picture 
the swooping down upon the servants of Job, 
their being slain, and the oxen and asses being 
driven off. Who were the marauders ? The 
section of Ishmaelites known as the Sabeans. 
From whence did the Queen of Sheba come 
to visit Solomon ? From the land of the Arab. 
And probably the men who came from the East, 



"WHO ARE THE BEDOUIN" 29 

seeking the infant Saviour, belonged to the 
Bedouin of Arabia. The New Testament 
gives evidence to the existence of the Ara- 
bians, for they were present in Jerusalem at the 
day of Pentecost (Acts, ii. ii). 

Later secular history occasionally pushes the 
Arab to the front to be heard of for a short 
time, and then to retire into seclusion again. 
The experiences of the Arabs have not always 
been of such a nature as to help them to a 
better state either socially, religiously, or com- 
mercially. From the time Ishmael with his 
mother was driven away from the tent of 
Abraham, their " hands have been against every 
man, and every man's hand against them." 
Physically, they are a fine race, slim and wiry, 
able to stand fatigue and privation. To an 
enemy they are treacherous and cruel, but to 
their friends, faithful and kind. Once gain 
the confidence of the Arab and you have made 
a lifelong friend. 

As a nation they have no contact with in- 
toxicating drinks ; immorality is promptly and 
severely dealt with by the killing of the guilty 
parties. They are fond of their children, 
especially their boys, the advent of a son into 
the family causing a change in the name of 
the father ; henceforth he will be known as the 



30 "WHO ARE THE BEDOUIN" 

"father of ," whatever the name of his first 

son may be. 

The greater part of the Bedouin are free 
from any form of government. Every tribe 
and family has its sheikh, or chief, to whom 
they refer in times of doubt, difficulty, and 
dansrer. His decision often settles matters. 
The position is not hereditary, but is often 
kept in the same family, the only reason for 
choosing one from another family being the 
inability of the son of the late chief to conduct 
affairs or rule his people. 

The events and experiences related in this 
book may lead some of the readers to conclude 
that the Arabs are a very unsociable and dan- 
gerous lot to live among. After many years 
among them, I firmly believe that ignorant fa- 
naticism, coupled with deeply embedded super- 
stition, has been the cause of much that I have 
passed through. Give the Bedouin a chance, 
gain his respect and confidence, and you have 
made a faithful and lifelong friend. Since 
the day that Ishmael was cast out into the 
desert, it seems that every man's hand has 
been against him, but a brighter day is dawn- 
ing for him. 




■PHOTOGRAPH BY C. . 

AN ARAB SHEIK 

The sheik, or chief, is one who controls a tribe, town, village or encampment. Tribal 
disputes are referred to him for settlement. Among the nomads, he orders the camp to be 
moved and selects the new " pitch." This sheik, who is a Christian, is the chief of Me- 
daba, and a good friend to the author of this book. 



CHAPTER V 

NEW EXPERIENCES UNDER DIFFICULTIES 

OUR arrival in Kerak was the cause of 
much excitement for many days. The 
enormous demands of the avaricious chiefs 
caused us much annoyance. The Turkish 
government had no authority in the region, 
and we had no one to appeal to for help. The 
ruling sheikh was unable to control either his 
many sons or others who considered them- 
selves of importance. 

In time our baggage was brought in, but 
we discovered that some of it had been opened, 
and many things were missing. We made 
our home in a room about twenty feet square, 
half underground; there was neither window 
nor chimney, and the only opening into it was 
the door. The fireplace was in the middle 
of the mud floor, and the smoke had to escape 
as well as it could. If an adverse wind kept 
it from going out at the door, we went out 
instead, — driven by smarting eyes and chok- 
ing lungs. We had no means of keeping out 

31 



32 NEW EXPERIENCES UNDER DIFFICULTIES 

the many curious ones that came to investigate 
the new arrivals, and the only way to get pri- 
vacy was to close and lock the door and con- 
sign ourselves to semi-darkness. 

We found a small boy's school which had 
been carried on by our predecessors. Many 
of the lads spoke good English and had be- 
come quite civilized and well behaved. One 
of these lads was put at my disposal as inter- 
preter; by his aid and my own persistence I 
soon gained a practical knowledge of the 
Arabic language. My time for the first few 
weeks was divided between attending the sick 
who gathered about my door and fixing up 
our primitive home. Tables, stools, and cup- 
boards had to be made from packing-cases, 
and thankful I was that I had learned to use 
a few tools. The Arabs were all interested in 
my doings, and would sit for hours and watch 
me. Gradually I became an M.A. to them, so 
clever did they esteem me. 

One of my earliest experiences gave me a 
good record among the men who were inclined 
to shun me as one to be feared. I was passing 
up through the narrow streets of that Moab 
city, and hearing some yelling turned aside to 
find out what it meant. I entered a house, 
dimly lighted, and saw a man being held down 



NEW EXPERIENCES UNDER DIFFICULTIES 33 

by four or five others. One was leaning over 
him and doing something to the fellow's mouth. 
My appearance caused a pause in the opera- 
tions, and on inquiring I was told the man 
stretched on the floor had the toothache and 
had come to the blacksmith to have it taken 
out. I asked him why he yelled so. He told 
me "because the man with the pinchers got 
hold of several teeth and part of his tongue 
and pulled." I suggested that I could make a 
better job of it than the blacksmith, at which 
he got mad, because that meant a loss of some 
wheat which was to be his payment. 

My suggestion prevailed, and the sufferer 
made his way to my house to await my return. 
When I arrived, I found a good crowd waiting 
to see what would be done for the man with 
the toothache. I got my forceps, which were 
thoroughly examined by all present. The suf- 
ferer was fearful lest I should fail to accom- 
plish what the blacksmith had attempted. He 
asked for proof that I could remove his tooth. 
I showed him a bottle with a few teeth in, and 
assured him that what I had done for others I 
could do for him. He yielded, and in a few 
moments was relieved. Taking his tooth he 
went out into the sunlight, threw it toward the 
sun, exclaiming "O sun, take the tooth of a 



34 NEW EXPERIENCES UNDER DIFFICULTIES 

donkey and give me the tooth of a gazelle." 
He then turned to me and asked me to put in 
a tooth in place of the one I had extracted. I 
told him it was impossible to do so, and he 
went off disappointed but grateful. My fame 
began to spread, and soon I had as much surgi- 
cal and medical work as I could do. This gave 
the natives confidence in me, and some that had 
treated me badly began to become friendly. 
They brought me all sorts of things to mend, 
— boots, wooden bowls, saddles, boxes, — and 
to the best of my ability I fixed them. 

In the noon I had a class of boys that came 
for one hour to learn English. I think I 
learned more Arabic from them than they did 
English from me, but the hour spent together 
was a mutual benefit. 

Often I would go to some encampment of 
Bedouin to attend some who were sick or had 
been wounded in a fight. One of my first 
experiences in an Arab camp will be of interest 
to the reader. We heard that a fierce fight had 
taken place between some of the Keraki Arabs 
and those of a neighboring tribe, the latter 
being famed for their ferocity and daring. In 
the fight eight were killed, and the next day 
brought into the city to be buried. We heard 
that many were wounded and three likely to die. 



NEW EXPERIENCES UNDER DIFFICULTIES 35 

Next day two men came to our house and 
asked if I would give them medicine to take to 
the wounded lying in a camp away on the 
plains. At the same time a man came with a 
message that the sheikh who was in the city 
wanted to see me at once. With my lad as 
interpreter, I went to him, and found him with 
several of his sons and minor chiefs sitting on 
a housetop holding a council. I shook hands 
with them all round, and then took a seat by 
the side of our chief. The last time I was in 
their company was under very different circum- 
stances. Then I was their prisoner in a house 
of hair; now I was their guest, by invitation. 
The old chief said to me, " It is my wish that 
you go and doctor the wounded out in the 
camp." It was about five hours' ride away from 
the city, but they told me it was quite near. 
The chief said I should have an escort to keep 
me from interference, and that he would provide 
a horse for me to ride. I told him I would go, 
and would be ready in half an hour. My boy, 
Mohammed, was to accompany me, to act as 
interpreter. 

After eating some food, for Mrs. Forder got 
me a hasty meal whilst I packed my knapsack 
with medicines and instruments which I thought 
I should most likely require, I made my way 



36 NEW EXPERIENCES UNDER DIFFICULTIES 

up into the city. In a few minutes a horse was 
brought for me and a mule for my boy, and 
away we went with two wild-looking men, quite 
intending to return on the morrow. It was a 
very long ride, and tiring as well, up the hills 
and over mountains, down into deep valleys and 
across never ending plains, until just before sun- 
set we came upon the camp of about ninety 
tents pitched in a valley. I was very glad to 
get off my horse and stretch my legs, but I was 
anxious to do what I could for the sufferers be- 
fore dark, so asked where they were, and also 
for the man that was wounded the most. 

I was taken to a large tent, in which lay a 
man who had nine wounds from guns, spears, 
swords, and daggers, and it was evident to me 
that I needed the knowledge of a fully qualified 
surgeon for the task that was before me. As I 
stood over the man and saw the cuts from the 
sword, some six inches long, and the gunshot 
wounds, I shook and trembled like a leaf, but 
offering up a short and silent prayer to my 
Master in Heaven for courage and wisdom for 
the task, I set to work to sew up and bandage 
one place after another, until the poor man was 
a little more comfortable than before. All the 
time I was doing this I was surrounded by 
some seventy or eighty men and women, who 



NEW EXPERIENCES UNDER DIFFICULTIES 37 

were surprised to see me sew up the open 
cuts. 

I then asked for the next man. Although it 
was now dark, I said I would do the three men 
that were so badly hurt, but they quickly told 
me there were twenty-two like the one I had 
just seen. Of course I could not attend to all 
of them that evening ; so, doing my utmost for 
three, I went back to my first patient, and asked 
for something to eat. They said I was to sleep 
in this tent, and then they set about making 
bread for me and the lad ; this was made in 
large, thin cakes, and was very good. They 
gave us three eggs to eat with the bread. I 
asked for water so that I could make some tea, 
but what they brought was like mud, and I 
could not use it. In a short time a man came 
in with some sheep's milk, and we gladly drank 
it ; this was our evening meal. 

Whilst we were sitting round the fire I told 
my boy to ask if we should read to them from 
God's Book. Some said yes ; so, having an 
Arabic copy of Deuteronomy and of Matthew 
with me, I told Mohammed to read the Com- 
mandments, and I said a few words to accom- 
pany them. Some of the men were attentive; 
others only mocked and laughed at us. 

In this tent there was the usual Arab 



38 NEW EXPERIENCES UNDER DIFFICULTIES 

mixture, and visitors are supposed to make 
themselves quite at home amongst it all. The 
varied inmates of our tent were : men, women, 
and children, goats, kids, sheep, lambs, dogs, and 
puppies, two donkeys, three cows and one calf, 
two horses and one mule, and fowls without 
number. 

Now you will guess that, with the noises 
from all these, I did not care much about the 
situation, and outside the tent were hundreds 
of goats and sheep contributing to the noise. 
About eight o'clock the owner of the tent 
asked if I wanted to sleep, and as I was very 
tired, I said yes ; so he laid a thin rug over some 
dry heather and grass, and motioned me to lie 
down. After having silently prayed to God for 
protection, Mohammed and I lay down without 
a covering and tried to sleep ; but the groans 
and cough of the sick man, the coarse laughing 
and shouting of the men and women, and the 
different animals inside and out made sleep 
almost impossible. At last I did fall into a 
good sleep, and had forgotten all my surround- 
ings, when I felt some one shaking me. 

Opening my eyes, I saw the man who was 
ill being held up on his legs by several men, 
and, on awaking my lad, found out that they 
said " he had a pain and wanted medicine " ; 



NEW EXPERIENCES UNDER DIFFICULTIES 39 

they thought it would do him good to walk 
him about. I quickly made them lay him on 
his rude bed, and told them that was the way 
to kill him. Giving him a sleeping draught, I 
again lay down and tried to sleep, but the 
wind had risen in great force and was blow- 
ing through the tent, and it was very cold. 
At last I again fell asleep, when another good 
shaking aroused me, to find that the rain was 
coming down in torrents and dripping through 
on me; there was quite a pool in the place 
where I was lying. For the rest of the night I 
sat over the fire listening to the wind and rain, 
and again and again wished that I was safe in 
our humble abode at Kerak. 

At last the morning dawned, but with it no 
improvement in the elements. Having eaten 
some bread and drunk some milk, I told them 
I would see the other wounded. I dare not 
attempt to describe the awful state of the poor 
men ; every one of them needed the care and 
attention of the best hospital in the world. 
However, God made me useful to them, and I 
carefully washed, sewed up, and bandaged all 
their wounds. Some of them were very thankful 
and kissed me over and over again ; some of 
their mothers and wives gave me raisins and 
prunes and other things to eat. By the time 1 



40 NEW EXPERIENCES UNDER DIFFICULTIES 

had finished, the rain was over, and I asked to 
be taken back to the city as arranged, but not 
one man would move to go with us, so I said I 
would walk. They all said I was to stay until 
the wounded men were well, and they should 
not let me go away from the tents. They also 
said that our sheikh told them I was to stay 
ten days ; this was a lie, and I told them so. 
Then the rain began to pour down again, and 
I and my lad started to walk to Kerak, and set 
off up the hill. When we reached the top, 
some twenty of the men came running after 
us and took away my boy from me, and one 
man, who afterward proved a true friend, took 
off his large " abba," or cloak, and put it over me 
to keep me dry. Then three or four of them 
pushed and carried me back to the camp, and 
put me in the tent where I had slept the night 
before. 

This tent was a miserable shelter, and the 
man who covered me with his coat seemed to 
understand that I was not as comfortable as 
possible, so he took me away over another hill, 
and we came on about twelve more tents, in 
one of which he lived. Here he put plenty of 
rugs for me to lie on, and then told the woman 
to make a big fire, to warm and dry me. Next 
he asked what I would eat — should they kill a 



NEW EXPERIENCES UNDER DIFFICULTIES 41 

sheep, goat, lamb, or kid ? Anything that " was 
in my heart " he would do for me. I asked for 
a fowl, and some salt and onions ; these were 
quickly brought in, and I cleaned and cooked 
this fowl in my own way, without any native 
messes. They baked me bread, and Mohammed 
and I made a decent meal, after which my Arab 
friend made me coffee with sugar and milk in 
it. We found out afterward that this man 
had lived in Damascus and Beyrout, and had 
seen a little of European ways and manners. 

After we had eaten, we went round to the 
worst of the patients and made them easy. 
One man had his nose cut clean off, and his 
mother produced this severed member for me 
to sew on again, but I could not comply with 
her request, although she entreated me to do 
so. Night came on, and I was made very com- 
fortable by the fire. I asked if we should read 
to them from God's Book ; they assented, and 
my lad read, and I explained the Command- 
ments and a few verses from St. Matthew ; they 
were very attentive. Afterward they began 
to question me on many subjects : How much 
money did I have to pay for my wife ? Where 
was my sword, dagger, gun, and spear.? To 
the first I replied, " English people do not buy 
their wives." To the other question I said that, 



42 NEW EXPERIENCES UNDER DIFFICULTIES 

God was stronger than man, and He took care 
of me. They could not realize this, and one 
man offered to give me his pistol. Questions 
followed about the Queen ; then they asked 
" whether the people in my country had such 
nice tents to live in as they had." I told 
them of the large and beautiful houses we had 
in my land, in which they were interested. 

At a late hour I fell asleep, and slept till 
daybreak, when I arose ; having eaten some 
bread and drunk some milk, I prepared to walk 
to Kerak. I looked round for my Arab friend, 
but he had gone away with some flocks. Then 
one well-dressed man came up and said if I 
would go and see his brother and dress his 
wounds, he would take us both to Kerak. I 
did so, and then looked for my man, but he was 
missing ; three times I had been treated like 
this, so I determined to set out, as there was 
every prospect of a fine day. Again we climbed 
to the top of the hill, some thirty or forty men 
shouting after us to come back ; then they tried 
again to force us back. In the middle of the 
struggle my Arab friend suddenly appeared. I 
believe God sent him just then. He quickly 
scattered the ravening wolves, and said he 
would take us to the city. As he had only 
just recovered from an attack of fever, he said 




OVENS USED BY THE ARABS 
These ovens, made by the women and hardened in the sun, answer their purpose well. 
Dried grass, chaff, manure and brushwood are used to heat these mud ovens, and once 
heated, they remain hot for a long time. They take many days to construct and are 
easily broken. 



NEW EXPERIENCES UNDER DIFFICULTIES 43 

he must go back to the camp and get a horse. 
Leaving his "abba," pipe, big boots, and head- 
dress, as a pledge of his return, away he went, 
and in a quarter of an hour returned, and we 
started for Kerak. After about three hours, 
walking over ploughed ground and soft turf, 
we came in sight of the old castle at Kerak, 
but still two hours' ride from us. My lad said, 
*' See, Mr. Forder, the castle ; I am very joyful ! " 
So was I, and sang in real earnest the beautiful 
hymn, commencing : — 

As when the weary traveller gains 
The height of some o'erlooking hill, 

His heart revives if 'cross the plains 
He sees his home, though distant still. 

We plodded on, passing two hyenas and 
some foxes, and about three in the afternoon 
reached Kerak. Our return caused quite a 
commotion, but all seemed glad to see me 
again. Thus ended my visit by invitation to 
an Arab encampment. Though rather rough 
and unpleasant, yet it was an experience that I 
can now look back upon with pleasure. To be 
used by God to help those poor ignorant people 
was an honor ! 



CHAPTER VI 

THROUGH TRIALS ENEMIES BECOME FRIENDS 

THE first six months of my life among the 
Arabs had passed quickly, and I trust 
profitably, to those to whom I had gladly minis- 
tered. A kinder feeling toward the mission 
was manifest, especially from those who had 
been its opponents since it was commenced. 

Mr. and Mrs. Lethaby left Kerak two weeks 
after our arrival and went to England for a well- 
earned rest. Mr. Lethaby never returned, and 
his wife only came back, with much sorrow of 
heart, to take away their few things. Events 
sad and mysterious prevented the founders of 
that mission from returning to it, and I was left 
to carry it on. Assisted by my wife, whom the 
Arabs had learned to love and serve, I worked 
from sunrise until evening, helping the people 
and teaching the boys. 

On Saturday morning. May 7, 1892, just eight 
months after we entered Moab, my wife fell 

44 



ENEMIES BECOME FRIENDS 45 

dead in our house. Without any sign of f aiHng 
health, or time for a parting word, she was 
called from earth to heaven. The Arabs were 
broken-hearted about it and showed me great 
kindness in those days of darkness and sorrow. 
The sad news spread rapidly, and before night- 
fall many of our chiefs had come into the city. 
We settled to bury my wife on Sunday morn- 
ing; so early on the Lord's day the chiefs of 
Moab carried to her grave the body of the first 
one who had given her life for the salvation of 
the Bedouin of Moab. Those same men a few 
months before had captured us as we entered 
their land, now they shed tears as they com- 
mitted that body to the grave. After the burial 
those same men came to me, saying, " You must 
not think of leaving our country now. Having 
buried your dead in our midst, you have become 
a son of the land ; we are now brothers, so do 
not go away." Enemies had become friends 
through a variety of events permitted by an 
All-wise uod but hard to understand. 

Our nearest post-office was a hundred miles 
away, and it was necessary for me to go and 
send home the sad news. I started the same 
day and was escorted by two of our chief's sons 
to the limit of their territory. I returned after 
about eight days and was again met by some of 



46 ENEMIES BECOME FRIENDS 

our chiefs. They insisted on my going to their 
tents with them, which I did. They killed a 
sheep, made coffee for me, gave me presents of 
milk, eggs, bread, and sundry other things, and 
treated me in the kindest possible way. I slept 
in the tent of the head man, and early next 
morning set out for the city, accompanied by 
two of the younger chiefs, who brought me to 
my house safely. 

The news had reached the city that I was 
returning, and every one turned out to welcome 
me. Our schoolboys and my English class 
came running down the mountain side to meet 
me. Meals were prepared in many homes for 
me, and numerous presents of food, fruit, and 
more things were forced upon me. What a dif- 
ferent reception to the one I received less than a 
year before, and since then matters have im- 
proved and such experiences belong to the past. 
My only companion and fellow-worker in those 
days was an English woman who had gone to 
Kerak two years before me. She, like myself, 
made many friends among the Arabs, until cir- 
cumstances compelled her to - retire, never to 
return to the mission field again. 

My first letter home after my return gives 
some account of how my time was spent and how 
I made more friends ; a part of it reads thus : — 



ENEMIES BECOME FRIENDS 47 

" Now I must tell you how busy I have been 
since I returned, and what dreadful doings have 
taken place. Last Wednesday, the 25th, a 
fight took place between Mujellies and the next 
tribe, the Skour ; two brothers, sons of Sheikh 
Khalil, were cruelly murdered, not killed in fair 
fighting, but captured and killed in a barbarous 
manner. These two were our best friends 
among the Mujellies, so that it is to us a really 
serious loss; they were fine young men, and 
much respected by the Keraki. Besides these, 
two more, sons of sheikhs, and two Keraki as 
well, were killed. 

On Thursday morning the sad news was 
brought to the city, and at once men, women, 
and children joined in the wailing, strong men 
crying like children from real grief. Two hours 
later the bodies arrived loaded on three camels ; 
the sight was one I shall never forget, and the 
wailing of the women cannot be described. 
When the bodies were washed, I stood by and 
saw all the wounds; it was a dreadful sight; 
such butchery I never want to see again. 

During these proceedings and the funeral 
following, a request came that I should at once 
go out to the tents to see a wounded man, son 
of one of the sheikhs, a cruel man. At first 
I refused, as a boy only was to go with me, 



48 ENEMIES BECOME FRIENDS 

and the country was in such a disturbed state, 
the Skour being bold enough to come into 
Kerak territory ; the sheikh then said, ' Wait 
until the morning and I will go w^ith you 
myself.' 

Next morning we started at six o'clock, tak- 
ing plenty of medicines, etc., with us. After 
four hours' ride we reached the tents, and I 
found the poor fellow dreadfully wounded ; I 
sewed up spear and sword wounds, and made 
him comfortable. In the afternoon the head 
sheikh, who had lost his two sons, came from 
the city, accompanied by all the other sheikhs ; 
they did all they possibly could to make me 
comfortable, killed a sheep for me, and kept me 
well supplied with coffee and milk. I slept with 
them that night, and the following day returned 
to the city to get more suitable medicines. 
This family of Mujellies, who have been so 
cruel to Mr. and Mrs. Lethaby, now swear eter- 
nal friendship, and I really think they would 
not hurt a hair of our heads. I am glad that I 
have been used of God for their good ; con- 
tinue to pray for them especially, that they 
may accept the Saviour. They sorrowed with 
us, and we are permitted to be with them in 
their time of trouble. It is to these I am going 
in an hour or two. 



ENEMIES BECOME FRIENDS 49 

We had made up our minds to have a quiet 
Sunday. The boys had come and gone, and I 
was having a tune on the baby organ, previous 
to a short service, when two heads appeared 
over the gate. On inquiry, a request was made 
for me to go out and see a man badly wounded, 
lying in some tents about one and a half hours' 
ride away ; he had been wounded in a recent 
fight, and had been brought on a camel as far 
as he could come. 

Feeling it to be a call of duty, I had to put de- 
sires aside, and although very tired from the two 
previous days' work, I soon packed my saddle- 
bags and set off. I found the man in a dread- 
ful state, the worst case I have had as yet. His 
arm was deeply cut above the elbow ; I had to 
put five stitches in it, in his chin two, chest one, 
back two. With lint and plaster and bandages, 
after two hours' work, I got him in a comfort- 
able state. After eating some eggs and bread, I 
started back again, reaching our house just 
after 3 p.m., quite tired out. I shall have to 
go out several times to this man before I can 
leave him to the care of his own people. If I 
could read and explain the Bible to the people, 
I have plenty of opportunities to do so, but I 
am at present only the advertising agent of the 
Kerak mission. In my spare time I read a 



50 ENEMIES BECOME FRIENDS 

little Arabic, and when possible read with the 
boys in the school ; I get on very well with the 
talking, but don't seem to make much progress 
with the written language." 

Hardly a week passed but I was called to go 
to some village or encampment to attend some 
sick or wounded man. Thanks to the simple 
and open-air lives the people live, my patients 
generally recovered, and the Arabs were sharp 
enough to recognize that my presence among 
them was a benefit rather than a misfortune. 

These frequent visits to and sojourns in the 
tents of the Arabs gave me splendid opportuni- 
ties to observe and study the everyday life and 
customs of the people. Gradually I got accus- 
tomed to the rough-and-ready life, and could 
eat almost anything they set before me pro- 
vided I did not see it prepared. 

I passed many sleepless nights in these 
houses of hair, kept awake often by the furious 
barking of the dogs, who were keeping off some 
wild beast intent on attacking the flocks. The 
wailing of the women over one of their men 
lately killed deprived me of many a night's rest, 
as did also the drawn-out groans of a one- 
stringed fiddle played by the man whose duty 
it was to watch and await any alarm of attack 
on the camp or flocks. 



ENEMIES BECOME FRIENDS 51 

Under such circumstances as these I made 
friends, some of whom have faithfully served 
me during trying and dangerous journeys, even 
risking their lives so that mine might be pre- 
served. But this for another chapter. 



CHAPTER VII 

TRYING TIMES IN TRYING PLACES 

AFTER my arrival in Moab, and gradual 
acquaintance with the Arabs both in 
town as well as in camp, the mission had pros- 
pered sufficiently to encourage us to attempt 
new things in the way of buildings. Medical 
and school work could not be carried on satis- 
factorily in the porches of our houses, and if the 
work was to be efficiently carried on, something 
must be done to procure more suitable accom- 
modation. A short visit to England for consul- 
tation with our committee resulted in sufficient 
funds being raised to lease land and erect 
houses, in a much better style than the ordi- 
nary " dugout " of the Arab. 

Our new buildings were above ground. 
Windows, cupboards in the walls, good doors, 
and other conveniences savoring of civilization 
were innovations that interested the Arabs. 
The woodwork and much of the plastering 
had to be done by myself, and we were in- 

52 



TRYING TIMES IN TRYING PLACES 53 

deed thankful when we moved into our new 
quarters. 

On my return to Moab the journey from 
Jerusalem was again one of exciting interest. 
My sister returned with me and had her first 
and only taste of life in houses of hair. Her 
own words shall tell the story as written at the 
time. 

" We left Jerusalem about 7 a.m. with three 
camels, three or four donkeys, and two men, 
and kept on until eleven, when we reached a 
khan and remained there for about half an hour. 
Then we went on through mountains until 
nearly 3 p.m., when we reached Jericho. The 
hotel was shut up, as the season was over, so 
we had to sit outside in a kind of farm-yard 
with men, women, and children all around, and 
animals as well. After a rest we made a start 
for the Jordan ; this time we had a plain to 
cross. It was very hot, as we were on a level 
with the Dead Sea. At 6 p.m. we were on the 
banks of the river ; it was so different to what 
I expected. Instead of green hills and fields 
it is all sand, quite like the seashore, and on 
both sides very many people and animals were 
waiting to cross. There is only one barge, and 
this has to be pulled to and fro by means of 
ropes. We managed to get over about seven 



54 TRYING TIMES IN TRYING PLACES 

in the evening, our boxes, camels, and men in 
one load. I felt ver}' tired after so much rid- 
ing, and after making some tea we tried to 
sleep, but it was impossible, owing to the noise 
of the animals and men. Among the crowd 
were hundreds of goats, and from these one of 
our men obtained a supply of milk, which we 
thoroughly enjoyed. 

It was full moon, so we could see quite well, 
and it looked so strange to see such a lot of 
men and animals lying in the open air, and 
the big blazing fires to keep off wild animals. 
About two o'clock in the morning the men 
told us they wanted to go on, and we were not 
sorry, because then we should finish the Jordan 
plain before the heat of the day. By six o'clock 
we were at the foot of the mountains beyond, 
and by the waters of Heshbon I got my sponge 
and soap and knelt on a stone and washed in 
the river, which was very refreshing. Here 
we had a meal, and by eight o'clock were on 
our journey again. We went on up, up, up, 
until I thought we should never have finished. 
Men at the Jordan told us not to go to Medeba 
as it was not safe, so we kept on till about 
eleven o'clock, when we came to some Bedouin 
tents and there put up, for we were tired of 
riding. We went into their tents and lay 



TRYING TIMES IN TRYING PLACES 



55 



down, but I could not bear ft, the men and 
women made such a noise with their talk, and 
it was so fearfully hot ; and worse than that, the 
women and children came crowding round us, 
and they were so fearfully dirty. You cannot 
imagine people living in such a state. After a 
while we found a little shed place at the end of 
the tents, which was much better than being 
in the midst of the people. 

We stayed here all the next day. At sun- 
set the women began to make bread and pre- 
pare supper; then the flocks and goats came 
wandering over the hills, and they all had to 
be milked ; some did one thing and some 
another. They gave us plenty of milk, which 
was delicious. When the men came home, 
fires were made, and sitting around the same 
pot we ate our evening meal. Again the 
animals kept us from sleeping, and at two 
o'clock the men said they were ready to go, so 
up we had to get, and off once more, this time 
for Mien instead of Medeba, which we reached 
about eight in the morning. 

We went to the native schoolmaster's house, 
such as it was, and as soon as we got inside, 
men, women, and children came flockins: in 
to look at us; there they sat on the floor, 
which was of earth, and smoked. Then our 



56 TRYING TIMES IN TRYING PLACES 

host brought us bread, and we had a tin of jam 
with us, so we had our breakfast, and by this 
time I had taken a survey of the house. 

It was a fair-sized vault, underground, and 
frequently we had showers of dust from the 
roof. The room was very dark as the door was 
small and low down. The only furniture was 
two large heaps of stone covered with mud 
plaster, one on either side ; these were their 
beds — of course no blankets, sheets, or pil- 
lows. The family — father, mother, and two 
boys, one about twelve years old and the other 
about two — slept on one, and my brother on 
the other. Arch made me a little room for 
myself in one corner by standing our boxes 
one on the other ; some boxes made a bed, so 
I was better off than the others. 

A coffee-pot was about the only civilized 
thing they possessed, besides two or three tin 
pans, which were used for everything — for us 
to wash in and to eat from. They simply 
poured a little water over their hands and let 
it go on the ground when they washed. They 
gave us plenty of their native bread and some 
honey; it all came in these tin pans, and we 
had to sit one on each side of our boxes, the 
pan in the middle on the box, and dip our 
bread in, and this had to continue for a week. 



TRYING TIMES IN TRYING PLACES 57 

because we could get no men to take us on to 
Kerak. 

You can imagine the days seemed very 
long, as we had nothing whatever to do. We 
could not go outside all day because of the 
heat. At last we got a man to promise to 
take us on, but my brother had to pay him 
good money before he would face the dangers 
of the road; then when we thought to start, 
and had all our things ready for loading, the 
man sat in his house doing nothing, and said 
it was not convenient then — he would go in 
the morning. Of course we could only wait, 
and finally got away about eight o'clock next 
day. 

We started for the Hameideh tents to get 
a guide to take us on ; these we reached about 
5 P.M., very tired, but could not get free of the 
women and children for some time. Directly 
you are in the tents they swarm round you, 
and some would feel my dress and boots, and 
some my face, I suppose to see if I was flesh 
and blood like themselves. We had some 
milk when the goats came home, and one was 
killed in honor of our visit, but I could not 
touch it. I had tried it once before, and 
that was enough. Again the goats, horses, 
donkeys, camels, cows, sheep, dogs, etc., pre- 



58 TRYING TIMES IN TRYING PLACES 

vented our getting much sleep, and just as we 
did get off, which was about three o'clock, the 
men wanted to go on, so we got up and once 
more made a start. The ravine of Mojib was 
before us, so we had to ' make our hearts 
strong ' — a native expression. 

It is impossible to describe what this place 
is like so that you could fully understand. It 
is like climbing enormous rocks; there is stone 
enough to build cities. I thought we had 
come to the top two hours before we did ; we 
stopped about two hours by a little mountain 
stream, and sat under oleander trees, which 
were so lovely after the hot sun and glaring 
rocks. I walked down a good way; it was 
more than I could do to ride a horse dow^n 
such a fearful place. 

Going along one very narrow mountain path, 
one donkey slipped, or rather the earth gave 
way under it, and the poor animal, loaded with 
my tin box, another box, and my fiddle, went 
sliding down about twenty or thirty feet. I 
stood and trembled for my fiddle, but it was an 
earth hill, about the only one passed, and only 
a little damage was done. We reached the 
top about seven, where we came upon an en- 
campment of tents made of goat's hair and had 
to be stared at again, and then, after a good 



TRYING TIMES IN TRYING PLACES 59 

drink of milk and a rest for four hours, we 
made our last start for Kerak, and this time 
had level ground to go on. 

It was just eleven when we set out. It 
was not nice riding in the dark, but we had 
rest and comfort in view, so did not mind ; we 
came to the Mujelli tents about three in the 
morning and passed them safely, and had a 
first view of Kerak about six; it looked so 
nice from the hill, but we had to go down and 
up before reaching it. We went down very 
well and were about halfway up when we met 
a young fellow who took a fancy to my brother's 
morea — the rope round his head — . It was a 
new one he had bought in Jerusalem. The 
man wanted him to take his old one, and give 
him the new one; my brother remonstrated, 
but the man was determined and pulled out 
his dagger. I was terribly frightened, and to 
quiet me the robber was allowed to have his 
own way. 

One of our men had gone on to tell that 
we were near, so before long the school children 
were scrambling over the rocks to meet us; 
Miss Arnold met us just outside her house. 
The people soon brought us presents; we 
had thirty-three eggs, two live fowls, a big bowl 
of butter, which is like lard, two bowls of honey 



6o TRYING TIMES IN TRYING PLACES 

in the comb, fish from the river, and several 
other things, while the landlord killed a goat 
for us, as a thank offering for our safe arrival." 

After a stay of a few months in Moab, I ac- 
companied my sister back to Jerusalem. Inter- 
tribal fighting closed the way by Medeba and 
Jericho, so we had to take the route round 
the south end of the Dead Sea and through 
Hebron. The journey this latter way is to be 
dreaded for two reasons, the scarcity of water, 
and the liability to attack by robbers, the 
mountain region and the desolation being very 
well adapted for the haunts of highway robbers. 

We travelled with a company of traders, 
mostly Hebron men, returning from the villages 
and plains of Moab, where they had been among 
the Arabs bartering the necessities of life for 
native produce, such as sheep, goats, tobacco, 
olive oil, butter, and other things that would 
find a ready sale at good prices in the markets 
of Hebron and Jerusalem. 

This trip we rode on donkeys. All went 
well for the first three or four days, when more 
exciting experiences occurred, resulting in the 
loss of our goods and a narrow escape with 
our lives. One morning early, we left our 
camp near the western shores of the Dead Sea, 
and commenced the weary and steep climb 



TRYING TIMES IN TRYING PLACES 6 1 

into the mountains. About eight o'clock we 
halted for breakfast, unloaded the animals, and 
prepared to rest under the rocks during the 
heat of the day. 

We were eating our simple meal when 
twelve men appeared on the brow of a hill near 
by. The word "robbers" was passed round, 
and fear seized every one in the company. 
They came down the hillside, guns in hand, 
and when they got within easy distance of us, 
they fired a volley at us, wounding two of our 
company. This was followed by a volley of 
stones, which scattered our men in all direc- 
tions. Before we had time to realize what was 
happening, a man covered my sister with his 
large cloak, and lifting her up bodily made off 
with her. He carried her some distance, then 
put her in a cave in the rocks, where he knew 
she would be out of harm's way. I picked up 
my saddle-bags and followed, but was pursued 
by one of the robbers, who shouted as he ran — 
" Drop them, or I'll shoot you." I dropped the 
bags, which he secured, leaving me to follow my 
sister and find her hidden in the cave. She 
had not realized what had happened, but sup- 
posed that the men were hunting wild beasts. 

After a time, wanting to know what was 
going on, I crept out, and saw our men and 



62 TRYING TIMES IN TRYING PLACES 

the robbers quarrelling and fighting over the 
spoil and animals. One of the robbers caught 
sight of me, came over, and grabbed my cloak, 
head-gear, and shoes, leaving me in my cotton 
shirt, which, being native-made, reached to my 
heels. Our comforts and rugs were taken, 
and some of my sister's clothes; the latter were 
returned, because it would be a shame, even 
among robbers, to take away the things of a 
woman. Money was demanded from me, but 
having none, I was unable to meet the request. 
The man at whose mercy I was saw on my 
finger the wedding-ring of my late wife, so 
determined to have it. Finding he could not 
easily remove it, he applied his dagger, and was 
about to cut off my finger, when the chief of 
the robber band, seeing what he was about to 
do, stopped him, saying, " Don't spill the Chris- 
tian's blood ; let him alone," so I was spared 
the loss of a finger, besides much suffering. 
The animals were loaded and driven away 
by the robbers, who made off over the hills, 
taking with them our meal bags, w^ater-skins, 
animals, and coverings. I went after them and 
begged a donkey for my sister to ride on, also 
a covering for her use at night, both of which 
they gave me. I then appealed to them for 
my outer garment, which had been taken. It 



TRYING TIMES IN TRYING PLACES 63 

is against custom to keep that over night (see 
Ex. xxii, xxvi, xxvii). All I got from the 
robbers was an old sack, into which I slipped 
during the three succeeding nights passed in 
the open air on the Judean hills, exposed to 
the dews and cold so frequent in those parts. 

With my head-gear and shoes gone, and my 
outer garments taken from me, I was exposed to 
the burning sun by day and the cold winds of 
those moonlight nights, but under such adverse 
circumstances I experienced the fulfilment of 
the promise, " The sun shall not smite thee by 
day, nor the moon by night " (Ps. cxxi. 6). 

After three days of weary travel, we reached 
the vineyards and olive-groves of Hebron. At 
daybreak I presented myself at the door of a 
missionary's house, but my outward appearance 
kept the servant from allowing me to enter. 
She no doubt thought me a beggar. Persever- 
ance conquered, and after continued knocking 
and calling, those inside realized that some one 
was in earnest. They recognized my voice 
and at last admitted me, and accorded me a 
hearty welcome. That same night I went on 
to Jerusalem in the borrowed clothes of my 
friend, my extremities conspicuous by reason 
of the shortness and tight-fitting garments of 
one so much shorter than myself. 



64 TRYING TIMES IN TRYING PLACES 

The night after my arrival in the Holy City 
I was seized with violent pains and fever, 
caused by the long fatigue, exposure, and absti- 
nence from food and drink. Good Dr. Merrill, 
the American Consul and friend of the needy, 
showed me great kindness at that time, and by 
God's goodness I was soon raised up and back 
again, ministering to those resident in stone 
dwellino^s and in houses of hair also. 

Following chapters will record other trying 
experiences under trying circumstances ; for the 
present these must suffice. We will now con- 
sider a brighter and more encouraging side of 
the life lived and spent in the interest of the 
dwellers in the land of Moab and regions 
beyond- 




HOTOGRAPH BY A. FORDER 



ARAB WOMAN WITH MONEY ON HEAD 

This woman has one hundred and fifteen coins on her head. They are part of her wedding 
dowry, and are much prized. Onl>' in a few villages are such headdresses seen, and it is 
considered a shame for a woman to expose herself sufficiently to be photographed. Mr. 
Forder has frequently visited the village where this woman resides. 



CHAPTER VIII 

ENCOURAGEMENT FROM UNEXPECTED QUARTERS 

I HAVE already stated that the work to 
which I had devoted my Hfe was sufficiently 
encouraging to compel us to consider better 
accommodation in which to carry it on. Many 
pleasing incidents had come to our notice 
that must be recorded, so that others may 
be induced to go on with similar undertakings, 
although beset by hindrances and unfavorable 
surroundings. 

We were pleased by the action of two little 
boys, brothers, who were in our small school, 
and from whom we did not look for such things. 
I had been absent from home for some time 
attending some wounded men lying in an en- 
campment some distance from our station. 
Nothing had been heard from me, until one 
morning a man leaned over the gate of our 
school yard and informed the boys that I had 
been murdered and that my body was lying out 
on the sand, no one caring to interfere with it. 
The report was a false one, for nothing had 

6s 



66 UNEXPECTED ENCOURAGEMENT 

occurred to suggest such a rumor. The lads 
were much concerned about my safety and 
troubled over the news they had heard. When 
they were dismissed, they were more discon- 
certed by hearing their relations and neighbors 
discussing the rumor which one and all hoped 
was untrue. 

Two little fellows, on reaching their home, if 
such a word is permissible to describe the 
place where they lived, were met by their 
father, who was ignorant, fanatical, hard-hearted, 
and cruel. He detailed to the boys the news 
of the morning, finishing up by telling the lads 
to give no heed to the teaching of the mission- 
aries about God caring for them, or to the be- 
lief in Jesus as the Son of God. The little 
fellows did not attempt to argue with their 
father, but disappeared into an underground 
vault. Their father wondered why they should 
go there, so followed them. He heard them 
talking something after this fashion : — 

" We come in here to pray God for our mis- 
sionary and to bring him safe home, and if we 
pray, we must say something. What shall we 
say ? " They settled that the Lord's prayer 
would be the best they could repeat, and said 
the elder lad, only about eight years old, " If we 
do not say just the right thing, we shall have 



UNEXPECTED ENCOURAGEMENT ^j 

said something, and God will know what we 
mean." Then a second difficulty came to their 
youthful minds, viz. did God understand their 
difficult language, or would the English lan- 
guage be easier understood ? After a few mo- 
ments' deliberation they decided to say their 
prayer in both languages. So, kneeling on the 
damp, dirty floor of that dimly lighted vault, 
together they repeated the prayer, "Our 
Father who art in heaven," first in English 
and then in Arabic. 

This over, they left the vault and were again 
met by their father, who, with oaths and curses, 
reviled them for daring to approach Ullah, 
" God." Going up to the flat roof of the house, 
they looked out over the city. Down the steep 
mountain side away in the distance rode a 
horseman. The lads saw him, then commenced 
to run toward the mission house. On reaching 
the gate, they shouted between their gasps for 
breath, " He's coming, we saw him, God heard, 
so we came to tell you." It was all true. 
Whilst the little boys had been offering their 
petition in the vault, I had crossed the ridge of 
the mountains that encircled that Arab city. 
The horseman they saw was their missionary, 
and when I rode up to the gate of our house, I 
was not received in Oriental style and with 



68 UNEXPECTED ENCOURAGEMENT 

voluminous salutations, but with such words as 
these : " We knew you would soon come, be- 
cause we asked God to bring you ; " the joyous 
faces of the little fellows showing how happy 
they were. 

Would the reader not be encouraged by some 
such experience as the following? After car- 
ing for scores of people stricken with that dread 
disease, smallpox, I at last was stricken with it. 
For a long time I lay helpless and unconscious, 
and to add to the fears of my native attendants, 
delirious. No comforts or suitable treatment 
were available, and I was at the mercy of such 
food and doctoring as the Arab mind conceived. 
Slowly I returned to consciousness and health, 
and was pleased and encouraged to be told that 
all through that long sickness four of those 
Arabs had undertaken to attend me, two dur- 
ing the day and two at night. Faithfully they 
did their self-imposed duty, refusing to accept 
anything by way of compensation. Every day 
numbers of men and women came to my 
humble abode and in subdued voices inquired 
how I was, and when for a time they feared I 
was dying, they begged to be allowed to enter. 
My attendants refused their request, only to be 
met with such words as these, " He was our 
friend when we were in trouble, he came to us 



UNEXPECTED ENCOURAGEMENT 69 

when others were afraid, let us come in and 
just look at him for a minute ; we will not speak 
or make any noise, we only want to see our 
friend." As I recovered the natives came to 
congratulate me, some bringing with them as 
a thank offering a few cakes of bread, some 
eggs, milk, or fruit, others bringing a fowl 
or some firewood. All tried to show their 
gratitude for the help I had given them, and 
although much of what they brought was un- 
suited to one in my condition as a convalescent, 
still it encouraged me to do more for the al- 
most helpless and neglected descendants of the 
bondwoman. 

Soon after getting the good-will and confi- 
dence of the people, I thought it well to let 
them know the main reason for my being 
among them. Every morning a crowd of men, 
women, and children gathered about my door 
for medical and surgical help. I thought such 
an opportunity to preach the gospel ought not 
to be missed, especially as most of the people 
were unable to read for themselves, and all of 
them quite ignorant of the things contained in 
the Bible. Some came only once and would 
never return, and unless they heard the Good 
News when present, possibly no other chance 
would be theirs. 



70 UNEXPECTED ENCOURAGEMENT 

One morning I introduced the Bible, telling 
the people that it was God's word and I wanted 
them to hear it read. Reverently and atten- 
tively they listened as some portion of the Old 
or New Testament was read and explained to 
them. Some would ask questions, many of 
them intelligent and surprising. Several came 
time after time only to listen. Ofttimes they 
were not satisfied with the portion chosen, 
and because of its shortness and interest they 
would request more. One morning I purposely 
commenced giving the medicines without any 
reading or even explanation, when I heard re- 
marks such as these : " No reading to-day ! what 
does it mean.'^" Then one man said, " You have 
not read to us this morning." I replied, " Do 
you want the reading and teaching from God's 
Word ? " The general answer was, " Of course 
we want to hear it ; no one but you reads and 
tells us such good things, so you must not leave 
off, and if you have no time, we will forego 
the medicine and listen to you read and speak." 

On Sundays I had morning gatherings for 
men, which were well attended. During the 
ploughing and harvesting seasons not so many 
attended, but no Sunday morning came round 
without some one coming to hear the Word 
spoken and read. 



UNEXPECTED ENCOURAGEMENT 71 

I was called to a sick man on one occasion, 
and after treating him asked him if I should 
read to him from God's Book. He assented, 
and I read and spoke to those assembled in that 
simple home. After I was through, a man in 
the company said, " Sir, I heard you read and 
tell us that we must not curse or take God's 
name in vain like we do, and I have not for- 
gotten it ; every day I try not to do so ; your 
book tells good things ; I want to obey it and 
do as you teach us." 

Many were the opportunities for sending 
copies of the Bible or some tracts to some 
part of the country we could not reach. We 
always did so, believing that the " word would 
not return void, but accomplish the thing 
whereunto it was sent." 

One day a man presented himself at my door 
who had come a journey of two days. He had 
been shot in the shoulder and wanted treat- 
ment. For want of a better place we allowed 
him to lodge in the porch of our room. We 
noticed how attentively he listened to the daily 
reading and exposition, and on leaving us he 
asked for a book so that he might read for him- 
self. We gave him a John's gospel in Arabic, 
of which he was proud to be the possessor. 
Two months later he turned up again, not for 



72 UNEXPECTED ENCOURAGEMENT 

more treatment for a lacerated or shot limb, 
but with a request for a Bible. Said he : " I 
have read the little book you gave me to the 
people in my town ; they like it very much ; 
now I have come to ask for a big book, so that 
we might read and know more." Such inci- 
dents encourage me to believe that many read- 
ers of God's Word in different parts of the great 
Mohammedan world, also in the lands where I 
have travelled and preached, will come to a 
knowledge of Him who " willeth not that any 
should perish, but that ALL — even Arabs — 
should come to repentance." 

Was it no encouragement to know that a 
party of Arab boys, taught in our school to 
pray, were daily remembering me when out 
among the Bedouin ? If only those riper in 
years and experience were as faithful in back- 
ing up the worker in far-away lands by their 
prayers, how encouraged many a weary one 
would be, instead of feeling that he was alone 
in the work ! Was there no encouragement 
in the fact that whereas an Arab would not 
trust his best friend or nearest relation with 
money or anything he valued, yet he would 
come voluntarily and desposit any quantity with 
me without even thinking of asking for a receipt 
or paper of any kind ? 



UNEXPECTED ENCOURAGEMENT 73 

Surely it was matter for thankfulness, and 
one full of encouragement, that when fighting 
took place between the Keraky and Turkish 
troops, and men were shot down before my eyes 
that I had known for years, their wives and 
children came to us for shelter and deliverance, 
feeling perfectly secure and safe under our 
roof; and then, when they had to leave for 
their work in the open fields or gardens, to have 
them put with us for safe-keeping their few 
jewels and trinkets. And then at last when the 
news spread that I was leaving, they came and 
besought that we would not leave them for 
good, as they had no one but us to turn to for 
help in trouble, threatening that they would 
stop us setting out, which, to prevent, we did 
one morning at dawn. 

Later years have not been without signs of 
encouragement. One day a young Arab pre- 
sented himself at our door in Jerusalem, saying 
he had brought his father to us for treatment. 
He had come more than a hundred miles, prov- 
ing that some amount of faith in our methods 
had resulted from our life and work at Moab. 
Was it no cause for joy to us when the old 
chief of Moab, who in one day was bereft of 
two of his sons, chose to turn aside to us for 
comfort and cheer rather than be among the 



74 UNEXPECTED ENCOURAGEMENT 

howling crowd of his own relations and people? 
That man had been one of those that had 
caused me to be taken prisoner and money 
paid for my release when first I entered 
Moab. 

The account of my journey into Arabia, 
given in other chapters, cannot be read with- 
out seeing between the lines much that encour- 
ages us to press forward ; the readiness of the 
people to buy the Scriptures, the kindness 
shown by those in high places, and last but not 
least the workings of a watchful, kind, and 
gracious Providence always bringing to mind 
the remembrance that " The Lord reigneth," 
and that His Word says, " I will be exalted 
among the nations." If any worker in either 
the home or foreign field that reads these pages 
is discouraged, let him take to himself the 
promises that cannot be broken and go forward, 
remembering that the " Well done " is not 
promised to the good and successful worker, 
but to the good 2i\\6. faithful servant, who is to 
enter into the joy of His Lord. 

Walking down the street called Straight, in 
Damascus, a man accosted me that I had no 
memory of. He was surprised I did not recog- 
nize him. " You attended me in an encamp- 
ment away in Moab when I had been shot in 




PHOTOGRAPH BY A. FORDER 

A BEDOUIN TENT 
This is the dwelling of the nomad, and named by him " the house of hair." These tents 
are very strong and hea\'y, and last for many years. The sides are fastened to the top 
by wooden pins about six inches long. So closely woven are they that water rarely pene- 
trates through them. 




THE FORDS OF ARNON, MOAB 

This stream is in the bed of a very deep valley that terminates on the shores of the Dead 
Sea. It divides the territory of the Amorites and Moabites. In the Pentateuch this place 
is frequently mentioned. After heavy rain, this stream is impassable. 



UNEXPECTED ENCOURAGEMENT 75 

the neck, and when I left for my own place and 
people, you gave me one of your gospels. We 
have all read it and like it very much," was 
what he told me. Before leaving me he asked 
me to come among them and tell them of our 
religion. 



CHAPTER IX 

IN COMPETITION WITH NATIVE DOCTORS 

MISSION work of every kind in all lands 
is always accompanied by times of dis- 
couragement. That the former are allowed by 
God it cannot be doubted, but all admit that 
these times do come, and are ofttimes blessings 
in disguise, although not always discerned at 
the moment. Without such times coming into 
our lives, there might be danger of pride or 
self-exaltation over any little success that was 
attending our work; and so these discourage- 
ments occur, maybe sometimes to remind us that 
it is " not by might, nor by power, but by My 
spirit, saith the Lord," all success in our labors 
is brought about. Again, discouragement may 
teach us many lessons and enable us to gain 
valuable experience which otherwise we would 
not have gained, and thus temporary dis- 
couragement may result in lasting blessing, not 
only to individuals, but also to communities. 
New work in out-of-the-way places among a 
strange and ignorant people always finds much 

76 



IN COMPETITION WITH NATIVE DOCTORS "jy 

to discourage. The idea in the mind of the 
Arab is that you are among them for personal 
benefit to yourself and not to them. The mon- 
arch of the nation you represent has sent you 
among them, and is paying you a heavy sum to 
stay among a hard and degraded people, or, as 
was often told me, I must have killed some one 
or committed a great crime to cause me to leave 
my own land and settle among the Arabs. 
Such opinions as these from those whom you 
are trying to benefit are neither helpful nor en- 
couraging, rather the reverse, and ofttimes one is 
sorely tempted to leave the people to their 
foolish imaginations and go elsewhere. 

Perhaps some of the greatest discourage- 
ments I had was in connection with the medi- 
cal work at Kerak. Although the Arabs there 
were ready enough to apply to us in time of 
need, it was with difficulty that we could get 
them to exercise patience for any length of 
time. Medical or surgical aid from us was 
supposed to have an instantaneous effect on 
the patient, and if it did not, very little persua- 
sion was needed to put away the unknown 
remedy or treatment, and apply one that was 
suggested by the women near by. The native 
doctor was our greatest hindrance, no doubt 
because he was jealous for his craft, and al- 



yS IN COMPETITION WITH NATIVE DOCTORS 

though the natives acknowledged that our way 
was best and our medicines more effective, yet 
they preferred ofttimes to pay the native quack 
a heavy fee for some visible and painful applica- 
tion rather than have our untried, slow-restoring 
remedies free. 

They could not understand why, for a bad 
headache, they should have medicine given 
them to drink. Why not do like the native 
doctor, apply a hot iron or a bleeding glass to 
the spot and so scare away the pain ? What 
good liquids did for medicine when fever was 
in the system could not be understood. Fire, 
and blood taking, with a few dangerous drugs, 
are the remedies for everything among the 
Arabs. To wash a wound and allow it air or 
drainage was madness, even sin, on my part; 
they would plaster it with filth and exclude air, 
and thus, instead of improving matters, make 
them far worse. Rest and quiet are rarely per- 
mitted to a patient ; on the contrary, the 
room, or tent, of the sick man will be crowded 
with men, women, and children making plenty 
of noise. I have known many a one to die that 
might have lived if only our advice had been 
carried out. 

One case in particular comes to my mind 
even as I write. One noon I was having my 



IN COMPETITION WITH NATIVE DOCTORS 79 

meal when a man ran into my room breath- 
less, exclaiming, " Come — run — quick ; a man 
murdered ! " I jumped up, seized my emer- 
gency bag, and without coat or vest followed 
the messenger. Up in the city, lying in the road 
in the midst of a crowd was a man in a pool of 
blood. He had been attacked from behind by 
the avenger of blood, and his abdomen ripped 
across, causing his intestines to protrude. I set 
to work alone; no man cared to interfere, lest 
the poor fellow should die and they get the 
blame. Carefully I stitched up the gash, replac- 
ing the protruding mass as I proceeded; the 
fellow behaved well and kept up beautifully. 
Having finished, he was carried on a carpet 
into a house near by and was supposed to re- 
main there. I persuaded the men to go away 
and leave him to get sleep and quiet, and hav- 
ing given him a sedative I promised to return 
in an hour. I did so, but found the house 
fastened up. Inquiring of some people near, 
I was told the owners of the house had gone 
out to their tents, and the wounded man had 
been helped to walk to another house. Thither 
I went, to find the place crowded and the poor 
fellow exhausted, yet being kept awake to talk 
to these so-called friends. I scolded them and 
sent them all out, and decided to stay myself. 



8o IN COMPETITION WITH NATIVE DOCTORS 

Soon he was asleep and rested quietly for two 
hours. On waking I left him in charge of a 
woman to go to another case, promising to re- 
turn and possibly have him taken to my room 
so that he might be well cared for. I returned 
about sunset, and to my astonishment found 
my man was not in the house I left him in. 
The woman very coolly told me, " We feared 
he would die, and did not want it to be under 

our roof. You will find him in 's house." 

Off I went and found him again, but he was 
too low to be moved ; they told me he could 
not walk, so they had put him on a donkey. 
I saw the poor fellow was very exhausted, so 
stayed with him until he died, which happened 
about three hours later. Truly " the dark 
places of the earth are full of the habitations of 
cruelty." I went home disheartened, but had 
learned a lesson never to be forgotten. 

On another occasion I was called to a young 
man that had violent fever. The native doc- 
tor and the women had done all they knew, 
but to no effect. I went and listened to all 
they had to tell me ; then I told them if they 
would leave off treating him, I would do what I 
could. They agreed, and for some days all 
went well, but the patient was not up and 
about as they expected he would be. One 



IN COMPETITION WITH NATIVE DOCTORS 8 1 

morning I went as usual, but got a cold recep- 
tion. I guessed something was up ; I gave the 
medicine and left them. A little later on I 
returned and gave them a surprise visit. 
Before I reached the door I heard cries of 
pain, so waited a minute, then crept gently to 
the door and looked in. I saw my patient 
being held up by three or four men whilst 
others applied hot irons to his spine, causing 
him to yell from pain. So intent were the men 
and women on their cruel work that they had 
not noticed me, so when I spoke, they were 
surprised, though not ashamed of their doings. 
The excuse they made was " he had a pain in 
his back, so we were driving it away." After 
that I left them a few days, but returned again 
to treat both back and fever. The young man 
recovered and was always very grateful. 

Another time a young baby was brought to 
us for treatment, " because it cried"; something 
was given it, more to please the mother than 
anything else — for babies will cry — and away 
they went, and we heard no more of them. 
Some days after I was in the encampment of 
our sheikh and was asked to look at a baby 
that was ill. It was brought to me ; on un- 
covering the mite I found it was quite raw and 
of a dark color. I asked what they had been 



82 IN COMPETITION WITH NATIVE DOCTORS 

doing to it to make it in such a condition. 
The answer was, " Because it cried we rubbed it 
with the medicine you gave the chief to paint 
his knee with, but it did not profit." Some 
time before I had given the old chief some 
liniment iodine for a swollen knee, and they 
thought what was good for that was good for 
a crying baby. Needless to say, a little grave 
was the result of such treatment. On me it 
had a good effect, that of discouraging the 
giving of medicine or drugs into the hands of 
those ignorant of their use. 

Our patience was sorely tried by another 
family that we did our best to serve. A man 
was cleaning his loaded pistol with his little 
seven-year-old girl near to him ; suddenly it 
went off, the charge entering the little maid's 
thigh. Our help was asked and willingly given, 
one of our lady helpers going twice a day to 
dress the wound and do what was necessary for 
the little sufferer. One morning she went as 
usual and applied clean dressings. The after- 
noon visit revealed a different state of affairs. 
The fresh dressings had all been removed, and 
in their place a plaster of various abominations 
had been put. An old woman, supposed to be 
very clever, had advised this, and so it had been 
done, and a fee given for the advice and plaster. 



IN COMPETITION WITH NATIVE DOCTORS 83 

The parents were talked to about their foolish 
doings, but to little effect. Patiently the dirty 
plaster was removed, the wound cleansed and 
dressed once more. All went well for a few 
days, when again the good done was all upset. 
A knuckle bone — supposed to work wonderful 
cures — had been worked into the wound, caus- 
ing the little girl excruciating pain as well as 
opening the wound again. Here, then, was un- 
done all the patient care and attention of weeks 
past. The reason given was " that the native doc- 
tor said there was blood and matter inside that 
ought to come out," and they had listened and 
acted accordingly. So discouraged were we 
that we refused to take the case up again, 
unless they paid for the dressings and trouble, 
which they did, but the child is lame, owing no 
doubt to the attack on the wound with the 
knuckle bone. 

One more instance must suffice ; although 
discouraging and trying to the human being, 
yet it eventually made us some good friends 
from among those that had been our greatest 
tormentors and hinderers. Our chiefs had gone 
on " ghuzzu," — a plundering expedition, — 
and in a skirmish the eldest son of our sheikh, 
and heir to the chieftainship, was badly 
wounded in the head, the scalp having been 



84 IN COMPETITION WITH NATIVE DOCTORS 

cut by a sword. I was called out to attend 
him in his tent in an encampment about three 
hours' ride from Kerak. I found an ugly 
wound stuffed with ground coffee and flour 
that had been mixed and forced into the cut 
" to keep out the cold." It had set like cement, 
but by dint of patient working I gradually 
removed it, much to the objection of the inter- 
ested onlookers. Doing what I could during 
the few days that I stopped, I was able at last 
to leave him, promising on the third day to 
return and see him. They promised me they 
would not interfere in any way with my dress- 
ings. 

The third morning I rode out ; it was snow- 
ing, but I wanted to keep my word. I reached 
the tent, tied up my horse, and before any one 
was aware of it I had pushed aside the tent 
cloth and entered. What did I see.? The 
native doctor at the head of my patient put- 
ting on a plaster made of donkey's manure 
and cow's urine ! I stood and looked ; no one 
spoke. I went over to the patient, calmly took 
the plaster off his head, and put it on the fire, 
then told the native quack to get outside at 
once. Without a word he obeyed. Then they 
told me my medicine had not cured the man, so 
they had called in the other and paid him five 




MR. FORDER WHEN SITTING WITH THE ARABS 

In Arab tents or houses chairs are practically unknown. With their legs folded under 
them, the natives rest quite comfortably, whilst the large cloak covers any appearance 
of awkwardness by sitting in such a position. The loose flowing garments ol the Orientals 
are very suitable for such an attitude of repose. 



IN COMPETITION WITH NATIVE DOCTORS 85 

mejedies, about four and a half dollars, for his 
supposed cure. I pretended to make for my 
horse to leave them, but they begged me to stay 
and do something ; all the lint, bandages, and 
ointment I had left had been burned by the 
quack's orders, so I could do little but again 
cleanse the cut of the filth of the past two days. 
Three times they served me thus, but in the 
long run I won, and the fellow got about 
again. The ride through the snow-storm im- 
pressed them, made because I would not break 
my promise to be with them on the third morn- 
ing. The recovery of the young chief was at- 
tributed to my careful and wise treatment, and 
many of that family became favorably disposed 
toward us. 

The foregoing have all been connected with 
a people hardly semi-civilized, and so in some 
ways to be pitied for their ignorance and treat- 
ment toward those who wanted to help and be- 
friend them, but the time came when heavier 
burdens in the way of discouragements had to 
be borne, from those who are supposed to be 
civilized and rank with the nations of Europe. 



CHAPTER X 

AT THE MERCY OF MURDERERS, BRIGANDS, AND 
RAGING SEAS 

IT is not given to every missionary to un- 
dergo hardships, dangers, and trials. Some, 
during long years of patient breaking-up of new 
ground, or seed sowing, have to endure things 
that the reaper has no experience of. The dan- 
gers and trials endured by Mackay, of Uganda, 
or John Paton, in the South Sea Islands, were 
followed by remarkable times of reaping by those 
that came after them. The workers at Kerak in 
Moab are not called upon to endure the hard- 
ships or humiliations of those who started that 
mission in face of danger, fatigue, and privation. 
How true the Scriptures respecting work of to- 
day and many of the workers, " One soweth, and 
another reapeth. I sent you to reap that whereon 
ye bestowed no labor ; other men labored, and 
ye are entered into their labors." Happy those 
who so labor " that both he that sowetli and he 
that reapeth may rejoice together." Unfortu- 
nately, sometimes the reaper forgets the long 

86 



AT THE MERCY OF MURDERERS 8/ 

years of weary breaking-up and sowing before 
he went in to gather in the sheaves. " Render 
therefore to all their dues ; honor to whom 
honor is due," and praise to whom praise. 
The life of the pioneer, whether missionary or 
otherwise, must of necessity be one full of 
danger, trial, and fatigue. The difference be- 
tween the two classes is this, that the explorer, 
scientist, or hunter generally goes relying on 
his firearms, or foregained knowledge of the 
people or land, to carry him through, whilst the 
missionary should, if he does not, rely solely on 
God for protection and guidance under all cir- 
cumstances. A man in the possession of fire- 
arms will be sorely tempted to put his trust in 
them when danger comes, and so weaken his 
faith in God, and to spill blood among the 
Arabs would mean lifelong enmity and per- 
petual absence from the country and people 
where such a thing had happened. 

This chapter is not written to create sym- 
pathy or pity, but that the reader may know 
that there is a God that can, and will, deliver, 
and also that a missionary's life is not all honey. 
The first marked deliverance I had after I 
reached Moab strengthened my faith in the 
living God. As I was attending the patients 
gathered about my door one morning, a big 



88 AT THE MERCY OF MURDERERS 

burly fellow, son of one of the sheikhs, came 
up, and, pushing his way through the crowd, 
laid claim to my medicine chest. To him it 
was useless, but he thought to me most valu- 
able, because without it I could not doctor the 
people, and so my allowances from the Queen 
of England would cease and I would suffer loss. 
He refused to give up the chest unless I gave 
him money. He not only claimed the chest, 
but entered the house and sat himself on the 
ground, saying, " Here I stay until I get the 
money." He sat some hours, although many 
attempts were made to persuade him to go away. 
But he was immovable ; I noticed that the key 
of the door was in the lock on the outside, so 
rising and going toward the door I jumped up 
the four steps, pulled the door to behind me, 
turned the lock, and had my unwelcome visitor 
prisoner. He began to shout and kick the 
door, asking that it be opened, but I went 
away and left him inside. Up into the city I 
went, and came upon my prisoner's father, and 
other of our chiefs and their sons, sitting in a 
circle in the sun. I went into the midst of them 
and told them what had happened, and how I 
had Abdullah prisoner. They laughed, but were 
angry, told me to go and release him, and they 
would tell him not to trouble me again. I 



AT THE MERCY OF MURDERERS 89 

requested that two or three of them should go 
with me and bring him away, so jumping up 
three called me to follow them. I gave one of 
them the key, and told him to unlock the door, 
which he did, and out came the prisoner with a 
bound, not to meet me, as he expected, but into 
the arms of his fellow-chiefs. He cursed and 
raved, and swore by the life of God and Mo- 
hammed that next time he met me out he would 
kill me. Thinking it likely he had taken some- 
thing from my room whilst locked in, I asked 
that he be searched. They felt his garments, 
but found nothing, but I noticed that one of 
his arms did not move freely, so got hold of it 
and lifted it up before he knew what I was up 
to. From under his cloak fell my small clock ; 
he had secreted it in his armpit, thinking no 
one would notice it. At last he was taken 
away, and I was left alone with his threats in 
my ear. I saw nothing more of him for three 
weeks, although hearing from one and another 
of his purpose to harm me. 

One morning I was riding out to an encamp- 
ment to attend a wounded man. I was alone. 
Coming toward me over the plain, I saw in 
the distance a horseman. Soon he commenced 
to canter, then came on at full gallop. As he 
came nearer I saw it was my prisoner of three 



90 AT THE MERCY OF MURDERERS 

weeks before. He was armed with his long 
spear, and as he rode up to me, pulled from his 
side a revolver and levelled it at me, laughing 
and saying, " God has given me my opportun- 
ity; now I will kill you and throw your body 
into a pit, and no one will know where you are 
or what has come of you." I replied, " If no 
one else knows, God will, and He will punish 
you." At once he dropped the arm holding the 
deadly weapon and said, " I never met a man 
like you : had you been one of our own peo- 
ple, you would even now be dead. Why are 
you not afraid ? " " I trust God to protect me 
from evil," I replied, " and that is why you 
could do nothing." " No," he said, " when you 
said ' God will know,' all the power went from 
me." He then asked me where I was going, 
and on being told said he would return with 
me and see that no harm came to me. So he 
did, and next morning returned with me to my 
home, and from that time we were fast friends, 
I ofttimes appealing to him for help in time of 
difficulty or need. Some months later I had a 
different experience, this time at night. I had 
been to attend the chief of a village about six 
hours' ride away. I found he had been badly 
shot and cut about by some of the young 
chiefs of Kerak, because of a quarrel over 



AT THE MERCY OF MURDERERS 



91 



some sheep some time before. By careful at- 
tention to the wounded man, I was able, after 
about eight days' stay, to return to my home in 
Kerak. There were two ways to the place I 
had gone to, one very lonely, leading through 
large boulders of rock that had fallen down 
from the sides of the valley. I had been taken 
this route, but returned alone another way. 

On arriving at my room I was asked by my 
fellow-worker, a young woman who lived in the 
next house, if I had been molested on the way. 
I replied, " No ; why ? " I was told that the 
three men that had tried to kill the chief I had 
been attending were hiding between the rocks 
on the way, with the intention of shooting me 
on my return. They were very angry because 
I had helped restore the wounded man to 
health, hence their action ; but as I had taken 
the other road home I had escaped them. 
That night I had gone to bed and was asleep 
in my room all alone. About midnight I was 
roused by a banging at the door. I called to 
know what was wanted, because it was so un- 
usual to be disturbed in this way. The an- 
swer was, " Open the door or we will break it 
in, quick." " Who are you, and what do you 
want ? " I asked from inside, but I only got 
the same reply as before. I got up, lit the 



92 AT THE MERCY OF MURDERERS 

lamp, put on some clothes, and went and 
opened the door. Without any formalities, in 
walked three men, their faces covered with 
handkerchiefs, with only their eyes visible. 
They shut the door behind them and said to 
me, "We are come to kill you." I walked up 
to them, one at a time, pulled the covering off 
their faces, and recognized them, saying, " You 
are Bedr, you Mc-mood, and you Salamey," 
three of the cruellest and most bloodthirsty of 
our tribe. They were rather surprised at my 
action and that I knew them. I asked them 
to sit down, stirred up the ashes on the hearth 
in the middle of the floor, and soon had a fire 
going. Whilst I was doing this and making 
some tea I had an eye to them. They had 
daggers and revolvers with them, the latter 
fully charged, as they soon showed me. They 
made me sit down with them and answer ques- 
tions. " Why do you go to our enemies ? " 
" Where was the man wounded ? " " How did 
you treat him ? " " Will he recover ? " and such 
like, all of which I answered. Then they went 
on to tell me why they had tried to kill the 
man, how they had waylaid him and shot him, 
and how angry they were when they were told 
I had gone to doctor him. They said they had 
been waiting five days for me to return, and 



AT THE MERCY OF MURDERERS 93 

had intended shooting me from behind the 
rocks. Hearing I had returned, they came to 
the city, and without any one knowing had 
come to me in the night with the intention of 
murdering me. " In the morning you will be 
found dead here; we shall be away from the 
city before then, and no one will know who 
killed you," they said. I told them I was not 
afraid of being killed, but if no one was near 
to see them, God would know all about it, as 
He knew everything. They showed me their 
daggers and pistols, and I told them to be 
quick or to go and leave me. They were slow 
to act and talked among themselves in an un- 
dertone. At last they said, " If you will give 
us each ten mejedies, — about ten dollars, — we 
will do you no harm." I soon told them I 
should do nothing of the kind. They lowered 
the amount, and finding I still refused they be- 
gan to threaten. I kept firm, and again they 
held a conference, the result of which was a 
demand to be shown the pictures — the magic 
lantern. They had heard about it and must 
have a show to themselves. I told them of the 
trouble to fix up the sheet and lantern, but 
they insisted, so I had to get it out, fix it up, 
and give them an exhibition. They were 
highly pleased with the pictures, all Scripture 



94 AT THE MERCY OF MURDERERS 

subjects, and what I had to say about them, 
working in all the gospel I could. Having 
seen about twenty, they asked to be shown " the 
one that boils," meaning the chromotrope. I 
put it in and set it turning, in and out, out and 
in, and they were delighted. One of them, on 
turning round to see the lantern, noticed that 
the day was breaking and told the other two 
of it, and they said they must be off or they 
would be seen leaving and have to give an 
account of themselves and their being out so 
early. They asked me to promise them I 
would never again go to their enemies, but I 
refused. Then they asked me to give my 
word that I would not tell any one of their 
doings that night, and to please them I prom- 
ised, and away they went, leaving me to ponder 
over the night's doings and the wonderful way 
I had been protected and upheld. 

On another occasion I was sitting with two 
of our lady workers in the living room after our 
day's work was over, when all at once, without 
any warning, the door burst open and in came 
a young man named Fellah, the only son of his 
father, a much-respected chief. This young 
man was well known for his daring and bold- 
ness, and so had taken the liberty to enter a 
house in which were two single women, and 




BEDOUIN WOMEN, DAUGHTERS OF THE DESERT 

These three women faithfully represent millions who live in tents in the solitude of the 
desert. Their large garment is of blue cotton and made in one piece. Few women wear 
shoes or even sandals, and most of them smoke. They have many superstitions about 
the " evil eye," which makes it very difficult to secure pictures of them. It was quite a favor 
for Mr. Forder to be allowed to photograph these women. 



AT THE MERCY OF MURDERERS 95 

that at night. I met him before he got far in 
and ordered him to leave, but he only laughed 
at me and refused. Finding he was obstinate, 
I took him by the back of the neck, and before 
he knew it I had him not only outside the 
house, but beyond the outer gate. To be 
treated thus hurt his dignity, and he com- 
menced to shout and threaten all kinds of 
things that he would do to me. Hearing the 
noise, our landlord's son came over from their 
room near by, and tried to pacify the young 
man, telling him how different our customs 
were from theirs and such like. But his anger 
was roused ; he hurried to a house near by and 
came back with a rifle. Placing a loaded car- 
tridge in it, and one in the hand of the land- 
lord's son as a confirmation of what he said, 
— a custom among them, — he swore that he 
would not sleep or eat until he had killed me. 
He called on Abraham, Mohammed, and others 
to witness the oath he had taken. Meanwhile 
others had come, attracted by the shouting and 
much talking. I was inside with the ladies, not 
knowing then all that was going on outside. 
In due time we had prayers, and I went out to 
go over to my own room ; the young fellow had 
taken up his position on my roof, but had not 
seen me cross over to my room. I went to 



96 AT THE MERCY OF MURDERERS 

bed, but was kept in mind of his presence on 
the roof by the constant thump from the butt 
end of his gun. He kept his watch all night, 
and then day came. The people, as they 
gathered for medicine, were much concerned 
for me when they heard the story. I got up, 
had my breakfast, and much against the wishes 
of the natives commenced the medical work. 
The young man on the roof was shouting 
out threats against me, accompanied by awful 
curses ; I bore it as long as I could and then 
went out, up on to the roof, and straight up to 
him. " If you want me, here I am ; do what you 
wish, or else be off away from here," I said to 
him. He was cowed and said nothing. I in- 
sisted on him getting off the roof and leaving 
me to my work ; after some hesitation he went 
down and I followed him, and as he went 
away he said, " I will give you a bullet when I 
meet you out alone." Some of the leading men 
of the city appeased him for the time by a little 
raw coffee, but he stuck to his determination 
to harm me, because of his vow and the car- 
tridge he had given as a pledge, and which he 
would not take back, although urged to do so. 
The next time I saw that young man was under 
very different and sad circumstances which it 
may be of interest to relate, thus proving how 



AT THE MERCY OF MURDERERS 97 

true the Arab's proverb, " Mountain may never 
meet mountain, but man may meet man," teach- 
ing that it is best on separating to be friends 
and not foes. 

There had been a wedding at an encamp- 
ment some four hours' ride north of Kerak, and 
all the young chiefs of the tribe had been 
called to join in the festivities. As is customary, 
the young men played on their horses, racing 
and wrestling, the horses seeming to enjoy it as 
much as the riders. A sham fight was in pro- 
cess when my troublesome friend of some 
weeks before galloped his horse across the 
course of a bullet shot from a rifle, the missile 
entering the windpipe on one side and coming 
out on the other. He was carried to a tent, and 
a horseman despatched for me, the name of 
the wounded man being kept secret. On 
arriving at the encampment, I was taken to 
the tent, to find it was Fellah that was down 
and needed attention. His first words, spoken 
with difficulty, were, " How could you come to 
me after the way I served you ? " My answer 
was in their own style, " What's past is past and 
what's dead is dead," equivalent to "Let by- 
gones be bygones." I did my best for him, stay- 
ing five days and nights. One afternoon he 
was leaning on my arm, and I was feeding him 



98 AT THE MERCY OF MURDERERS 

with some milk, when suddenly he fell back 
dead on my breast. Great was the consterna- 
tion among the crowd of sympathizers in that 
tent; the women screeched and rent their 
clothes, the immediate relatives falling on the 
body, hugging and kissing it, whilst the men 
wrung their hands in agony or cut off their hair 
as a sign of their great grief. 

At once the cry of " Revenge ! " was raised ; 
the men jumped up, seized their rifles, and, 
mounting their horses, were soon galloping in 
the direction of the camp in which the young 
man was from whose rifle that bullet had come 
causing the death of the chief's son. Accidents 
are not recognized among the Arabs; life had 
been taken, and the custom requires a life in 
return. I took the opportunity to ride away 
on the only horse left, and was first to tell the 
sad news in the city. Said one man to me 
that evening, " Fellah swore to give you a 
bullet, but got one himself ; it is the work of 
God ; every one must eat his fate." 

Next morning the body was brought in to 
be buried, and the sight was one I shall never 
forget. 

To complete this incident I must tell that 
the supposed murderer saw the armed horse- 
men coming toward the camp, guessed what 



AT THE MERCY OF MURDERERS 99 

had happened, and claimed the protection of 
the chief of the encampment, and so saved 
his life, although afterward the penalty of two 
years' exile and the loss of all his belongings 
was put upon him, the dead man's relatives 
getting all the property that had been forfeited 
as the price of their lost son. 

Another narrow escape came about in quite 
another way, and under very different cir- 
cumstances. I had been into Jerusalem, and 
was returning to Kerak, but had to take the 
route by Hebron and the south end of the 
Dead Sea, one generally avoided for two rea- 
sons, viz. the scarcity of water and the fear of 
robbers, because the road via Jericho and 
Medeba was possessed by a tribe of Arabs 
unfriendly to any from Kerak. I had with me 
three Arabs, one an old man named Salem, who 
had travelled much with me and had always 
proved faithful, and to whom on this occasion 
I owed my life, not excluding of course an all- 
seeing Providence. 

We were going along the eastern shore of 
the Dead Sea, and came to a tiny stream of 
fresh water, where we determined to camp, as 
the sun was about setting. The place was 
very stony, and not such a one as we generally 
choose, preferring, if possible, open ground, so 

LolC. 



lOO AT THE MERCY OF MURDERERS 

that any one or anything can be seen approach- 
ing, but as there was no water ahead of us we 
had to stay there or go thirsty. We had our 
supper, and put the nose-bags on the horses, but 
noticed that they did not eat. Old Salem said 
to me, " The animals are restless and cannot 
eat their suppers." Time passed and still our 
patient steeds remained supperless, but not 
motionless. With their ears pricked up and 
their heads well lifted, they were keeping a 
sharp lookout ahead of them, first in one di- 
rection and then in another, turning this way 
and then another. Their behavior told my 
experienced old Arab that somebody besides 
ourselves was about, and the horses could see 
them moving about, although it was dark. 
This was causing their restlessness and ab- 
stinence from their suppers. We all made up 
our minds to sit and watch, but weary with a 
long day's ride I soon fell asleep under the 
cover of a great boulder. It was about mid- 
night, and I was lying half awake and half 
asleep, when almost together, within a few mo- 
ments of each other, the horses whinnied, and 
old Salem called to me, " Get up, quick." Up 
I jumped, and on looking out I saw three men 
running away as hard as they could go. They 
had crept up to us under cover of the large 



AT THE MERCY OF MURDERERS lOI 

Stones, no doubt thinking we were all sleeping. 
But the horses saw the nearest one, and gave 
Salem the alarm. He saw the nearest man 
standing over me with a huge stone in his 
hands that any moment might have been 
dropped on my head and so have killed me. 
As I jumped up quickly, the stone missed me, 
the men making off on finding that they were 
discovered. 

After this the animals settled down and ate 
their supper. Old Salem would not sleep, how- 
ever, for, said he, " Just before dawn, when it 
is darkest, and the robbers think we are weary 
with watching, they may return, so we must 
be prepared for them." Sure enough, they came 
again at the expected time, but a good fire 
gave warning that we were about, and at dawn 
we loaded up and went on our way. We never 
knew who the thieves were, or where they came 
from or went to. We were thankful for the 
escape from them, and our steeds had an extra 
feed for the share they took in warning us of the 
presence of an enemy. That same morning 
we met a band of wild fellows that far outnum- 
bered us and helped themselves to such things 
as they fancied as they leisurely turned over 
our belongings, leaving us lighter than they 
found us, and me with a few bruises from 



102 AT THE MERCY OF MURDERERS 

blows of heavy clubs because I objected to 
their behavior. 

The foregoing dangers and deliverances all 
have been experienced on dry land, but one 
yet remains to be told that took place on the 
water — not the blue ocean of either the At- 
lantic or Mediterranean, but on the historical 
salt sea, or, as is better known. Dead Sea. 
Our recollections, however, lead us to let go 
the title " Dead," and substitute " Living." It 
came about in the year 1895, if memory serves 
me right. I had come in from Kerak to Je- 
rusalem to take back my wife and four-months- 
old baby. About that time a good-sized sail- 
ing boat was going, as wind permitted, between 
the nearest point to Jericho on the north and 
Morab on the east. By this route the journey 
to Kerak could be shortened by three days, 
and was less fatiguing. 

We found out the time fixed for the boat to 
set sail, viz. sunset, and made arrangements 
accordingly. Our heavy luggage was sent by 
mules, and some Keraky were to meet the boat 
on the eastern side and take us up to the city. 
Our party was made up of two friends going 
on a visit with us to Kerak, my wife, baby, and 
myself. We reached the seashore in good 
time, saw our few belongings put into the boat, 




THE NORTH SHORES OF THE DEAD SEA 

This shows the only boat on the Dead Sea. It was just back from a rough trip on the lake 
when the picture was taken, 
up on the stony beach. 



The foam on the beach shows with what force the sea comes 




PHOTOQRAPI 



ARABS ENJOYING A SOCIAL MEAL 

Among the Arabs, food is served in one large dish. The chief invites his guests to sit 
round and eat, but will not join them; he counts it an honor to serve. In the absence of 
spoons and forks, fingers have to serve every purpose. 



AT THE MERCY OF MURDERERS 103 

and then we took up our places. The boat 
was loaded with iron girders and timber for 
the Government in Kerak. This was good 
because of the buoyancy of the water. A 
good breeze blew from the north, and we 
sailed along merrily. All went well for five 
hours ; the moon rose and we knew we must 
be nearing our goal. The wind had increased, 
and we were going at a good speed. Our two 
boatmen, like real Arabs, were both asleep 
when they should have been most awake. All 
of a sudden we stopped, the boat veered over 
on one side, and the waves, now quite high, 
came dashing over us, wetting us through and 
through before we could recover ourselves. 
Poor baby got a drenching as well as all the 
others. The sudden stop roused the man at 
the rudder, and we soon found we had run 
sideways on a sand-bank. So fast were we 
going along that the boat had cut deeply into 
the sand and was immovable. It was about 
1 1. 1 5 and moonlight. The men tried to move 
the boat by pushing her off, then we got down 
into the water, which was chest deep, and 
pushed, but all to no purpose. We threw the 
iron girders into the sea, then the timber, but 
the boat stuck. Baby was crying for milk, so 
had to be content with it cold ; no spirit stove 



104 AT THE MERCY OF MURDERERS 

would remain lit a minute for the wind and 
water. Meanwhile the boat was getting more 
and more on one side, so we perched up on 
the side highest from the water. We guessed 
we were near the land because reeds were near 
by. I got down into the water and set out 
landwards, but soon found that mud was abun- 
dant and the water deeper as I neared the reeds, 
so I returned to the boat to await the day- 
break. We shouted ourselves hoarse, hoping 
to attract the attention of any Arabs that might 
be near, but it was no use. Then our two boat- 
men, after many attempts and appeals to Abra- 
ham and Mohammed for help, said they would 
swim off and try and get help. So away they 
went, leaving us alone until past daybreak. 
Then we saw them away on the shore, and 
they came off to us, followed by our kind 
Arabs that had been waiting for us according 
to our orders. They had heard the shouting 
in the night, but thought it was the Arabs 
near by keeping the wild pigs off the grain 
and gardens, so had not responded. I made 
one trip to land, walking through the sea and 
mud for about three hundred yards, then, hav- 
ing an idea of the way, returned to the boat, 
took the baby, and carried him to land, held 
high up out of the water. He enjoyed the 



AT THE MERCY OF MURDERERS 105 

trip more than I did, and was safely deposited 
with an Arab on shore whilst I returned to 
the wreck. My wife and our lady friend had 
been obliged to take to the water, their skirts 
making their progress difficult and slow, but 
with the aid of our willing Arabs at last 
reached the land and took shelter in the tent 
that was pitched a short distance away. One 
or two more returns to the boat brought our 
belongings to land, all spoilt by the salt water 
of that "lively sea." The boat remained fast 
for some time, but at last was set free by the 
combined strength of the Arabs of the district. 
Our men had the good sense to have ready for 
us a large pot of chicken broth, with plenty of 
rice in it, and a good kettle of tea, of which we 
imbibed a good quantity. Clothes were washed 
in a stream of fresh water near by. Whilst this 
was in process, the ladies were isolated in the 
tent until their garments had dried sufficiently 
to be donned. I stalked around in a pair of 
my friend's trousers whilst my own were drying. 
Fortunately the place of landing was in the 
plains, and so very warm, or the consequences 
to our health might have been serious after 
the night's exposure to wind and waves. We 
were thankful to have escaped with our lives, 
although we lost nearly everything else. 



CHAPTER XI 

UNLOOKED-FOR CHANGES, AND MORE 
PERSECUTIONS 

THE first three years of my life among the 
Arabs passed all too quickly. Although 
there had been discouragements, opposition, 
and bereavements, these had been counteracted 
by advance, the breaking down of prejudice, and 
the making of many and fast friends. Every- 
thing seemed to be going well and promised 
fair for the future. 

During one of my brief visits to Jerusalem 
I met my second wife. She had been in the 
land some years and was already acquainted 
with the language. Our aims were one, — the 
salvation of the people. She returned with me 
to Moab, where she lived until circumstances 
compelled us to retire to Jerusalem. Much of 
what is recorded in these pages is due to her 
readiness to remain at home, and her willing- 
ness for me to go into regions unknown so 
that the way of the Lord might be prepared 
in the desert. Let not a one-sided thanks- 
giving or admiration be any result of the read- 

io6 




MRS. FORDER, THE WIFE OF THE AUTHOR 

Mrs. Forder is a Scotchwoman who has Uved in the Orient for many years. She speaks 
the Arabic language, and is much beloved by the Arabs where she is known to them^ 1 en 
years ago her name was changed by the Arabs to " Umm Jerius," i. e., mother of George, 
in honor of her first child whose name was George. She is m full sympathy with the work 
being done by her husband among thfc Arabs. 



UNLOOKED-FOR CHANGES 



107 



ing of this volume, but let all remember /tliat 
" as his part is that goeth down to the batt(e, so 
shall his part be that tarrieth by the stuff." 
Staying home without news for weeks and 
months is more difficult to endure than the 
actual being away, the anxiety and suspense 
sometimes being increased by rumors of rob- 
bery and even murder. 

Progress had been made with new buildings 
which were the admiration and wonder of the 
Kerak people ; school, medical, and evangelistic 
work were all going on in regular order and 
with an encouraging measure of success. One 
day we heard rumors of the coming of a Turk- 
ish army to put our district under control, es- 
tablish a civil capital, and place a garrison in 
the very city in which we were living. We 
were saddened by the news, because we knew 
that the incoming of the Turk would mean 
opposition and hindrance to our work, also 
oppression, heavy taxation, and bloodshed for 
the natives. We were not long in seeing and 
experiencing all these come about. 

A few weeks after the rumor several thou- 
sand troops camped on the plains opposite our 
mountain home. Field cannon were mounted 
on the highest hills overlooking the city, and 
every plan arranged to take the place. The 



lOS UNLOOKED-FOR CHANGES 

people were alarmed; women and children fled 
to the encampments or the mountains on the 
west side of Kerak toward the Dead Sea. The 
men prepared to defend their cit}' and homes 
and meet the unwelcome enemy as soon as they 
attempted to enter the place. Warning was 
sent us that we had better leave at once, but 
we preferred to stay by our many friends, be- 
lieving that they would need our ser\'ices before 
very long. We were not mistaken, for as soon 
as the enemy had gained an entrance into the 
city they were turned loose on the helpless 
people, and many of them were shot dead, or 
wounded, because they defended their homes 
and women from the intrusion and insults of 
the soldiery. 

For a week we were besieged ; every day the 
troops tried to scale the steep sides of that 
Moabitish town. They were repulsed and 
turned back by the huge stones rolled down 
from above by the natives and by the bullets 
of those possessing rifles. At length, through 
briber}^ and the promise of large money and 
costly presents, the chiefs of Moab allowed the 
wily Turk to enter, believing him when he 
said, " We will only stay three months." With 
bullets whizzing over our heads every hour of 
the day, cannons facing us from the hilltops, 



UNLOOKED-FOR CHANGES 109 

and an excited, fanatical army eager to take 
possession, we entered into the experience of 
the Psalmist under like circumstances. " The 
Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall 
I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life, 
of whom shall I be afraid? . . . Though an 
host should encamp against me, my heart shall 
not fear; though war should rise against me, in 
this will I be confident." 

The day the Turkish army entered Kerak 
will long live in our memory. It was in No- 
vember, 1893, and from that time on for another 
three years obstruction, opposition, and humilia- 
tion at length led to our separation from our 
hardly won Arab friends and the land which 
had become ours by adoption and, as the Arabs 
often reminded us, by reason of my dead having 
been buried in it. 

The man who had been appointed civil gov- 
ernor of the new district was one who had 
been a leader in the massacres in Armenia, 
and because of his successes in those parts 
had been promoted to this important post. 
He took up his abode in the Greek priest's 
house, and turned the boys' school into a court- 
house. The day after his arrival he requested 
our presence, and informed me that from that 
time on our school and medical work must 



no UNLOOKED-FOR CHANGES 

cease. Said he, " You have the favor and 
hearts of all these people, and now that I have 
come for the Sultan of Turkey you must leave. 
If I cannot wean the people away from you, I 
will separate you by force and persecution." 

Soldiers were placed around our premises to 
keep the people from coming to us, and if by 
any means some did reach our doors and were 
caught going away, they were arrested, put into 
prison, and heavily fined. The chiefs protested 
to the governor, but to no purpose. They 
argued thus with him, " You have deprived us 
of the help our friends gave us when sick or 
wounded, the schools in which our children 
were being taught you have closed, our best 
friend you forbid us to visit, and you give us 
nothing to replace what the English were giv- 
ing us." 

The men working on the new buildings 
under my supervision were again and again 
driven off the work by the soldiers, who made 
my innocent laborers' backs smart with the 
lashes of heavy whips. Time after time I faced 
that governor, demanding from him the return 
of my tools and the liberty for men to work for 
me. Again and again he told me, " If you 
were an Arab, or one of our own subjects, I 
would have had you killed long ago, for no one 



UNLOOKED-FOR CHANGES III 

has ever spoken to or treated me as you 
have." 

On every occasion he had to yield to my 
demands, but not until after many stormy inter- 
views which needed grace, patience, and wisdom. 

I well remember one occasion when I made 
this despot yield to my demands. I received 
word one morning that my best man, " Old 
Faithful" I called him, had been put into 
prison without any apparent cause. His old 
father appealed to me to get him released, assur- 
ing me that there was no reason why his son 
and my friend should be imprisoned. I went 
at once to the governor and asked why the 
man had been arrested and thrown into prison. 
He told me because the man had said he would 
become a Christian, also because he would per- 
sist in coming to our house to supply us with 
eggs and milk. Both these statements were 
false, and had been fixed up by some enemy 
of my " Old Faithful." I told the governor 
the charges were untrue, that I had not seen 
the man for quite a month, and that I wanted 
him released at once. The hard-hearted, wily 
Turk laughed a contemptuous laugh, and 
said, " You have the hearts of all these Arabs ; 
every day before me they are praising you, say- 
ing that you are their father. I have tried to 



112 UNLOOKED-FOR CHANGES 

wean these people away from you, but now I 
will force them to leave you, and this man now 
in prison will be an example and a warning to 
the others, for I will treat all thus, and will not 
rest until you are compelled by me to leave 
this land. I will not release the man ; let him 
remain in the prison a time, so that others may 
be afraid to disobey my commands." 

Before a crowd of wondering Arabs, chiefs, 
and soldiers, I stood my ground and persisted, 
and finding that he would not yield, I finally 
said, " I will not leave your room in which I now 
sit until that man is released and given over to 
me." Hour after hour I sat there ; time after 
time he told me to go, it was useless to wait. 
Supper time came, and I was still there ; bed- 
time came, and I was prepared to pass the night 
there. That ofTficial had to learn that my word 
on such an occasion could not be changed ; one 
of us had to yield and that one was not to be 
the writer. It was nearly ten o'clock, and the 
governor wished to retire, but could not go 
away and leave me alone in his room. A last 
persuasion and another refusal resulted in a 
command to a soldier to have the man set free. 
I demanded that he be brought from the prison 
and delivered to me so that we might go away 
together. From the prison in the old Moabit- 



UNLOOKED-FOR CHANGES 113 

ish fortress near by, my Arab friend was 
brought, and together we left the official room 
of that governor, who was none too pleased that 
right had won and he had been humiliated 
before the people. 

Does the reader wonder that I have many 
friends in Arab lands ? Few indeed have been 
the friends poor Ishmael has ever had, and they, 
like people in other lands, appreciate and re- 
spond to kindness. Next morning I was sum- 
moned before the angry official, who addressed 
me thus, " Mr. Forder, if your Society are not 
proud of you, they ought to be; no man ever 
faced me as you have. I am sorry you are an 
Englishman, for you would make such a good 
Turk. Yesterday you gained your victory, but I 
will gain one yet, for I will not rest until I have 
got you out of this place." 

Then followed a time of trial, humiliation, 
persecution, and suspense that few have had 
to endure. That governor laid false charges 
against me, to my Society and to our consul in 
Damascus. Soldiers followed my wife and 
myself wherever we went ; from early morning 
until late at night our gates were guarded, and 
no one was allowed to come to us with food or 
other things to sell. Messages were sent us 
again and again that unless we were gone in 



114 UNLOOKED-FOR CHANGES 

SO many hours soldiers would be sent to drive 
us out and break up our home. To all this 
we gave no heed; we simply "committed our 
way to the Lord, trusted also in him, and he 
brought it to pass." 

It would take a volume to detail all that we 
endured for nearly three years at the hand of 
that Turkish governor, but it must remain 
untold in these pages. It sufHceth to say that 
he went to such extremes that he overreached 
himself, and at last, through our complaints and 
the demands of an energetic consul in Damas- 
cus, he was removed and degraded, much to 
the delight of the natives and many of the 
minor officials. 

All through this time of opposition and dis- 
couragement I forged ahead with the new 
buildings, so that by the time the oppressor 
was removed we had ready for our work five 
roomy houses, all above ground, with windows, 
air-shafts, and paved floors, also a dispensary, 
consulting room, and large assembly hall, in 
which the people now gather to listen to the 
gospel message before being treated by the 
medical missionary. 

With the going of the governor the opposi- 
tion and hard measures ceased, and better times 
began to dawn. The coming of the Turk to 



UNLOOKED-FOR CHANGES 1 15 

Moab was not only a time of disaster for our 
work, but also for the Arabs. Two calamities 
followed the advent of the troops, viz. the 
coming of the locusts, which resulted in a time 
of semi-famine throughout the land. Midst 
times of doubt and perplexity amusing inci- 
dents occurred to break the monotony of the 
situation. 

On one occasion we had invited a lot of 
women and children to partake of a warm meal. 
They gladly responded to the invitation in spite 
of the orders of the governor forbidding any 
to enter our premises. As they were eating, a 
furious knocking at the locked door was heard. 
Those outside were soldiers, who had been sent 
to take to prison the women and children who 
were satisfying the demands of hunger at our 
expense. I refused admittance to the soldiers, 
so they decided to await the dismissal of the 
frightened and helpless people. The feast 
over, I helped the women and children to leave 
by means of a ladder leading to our flat roofs. 
Many got away without being detected, but 
somehow the last ones were seen getting away, 
followed by the soldiers, and stopped. The 
order to line up and walk to prison was not 
obeyed by the daughters of Moab. Instead, 
they sat down in the street and mockingly told 



Il6 UNLOOKED-FOR CHANGES 

the soldiers, " If you want us in prison, carry 
us there, otherwise we shall not get there." 
Whilst this street scene was being enacted, 
much to the delight of even the sedate Arab, 
I was having a stormy interview with the gov- 
ernor in his room, and sarcastically taunting 
him with some such words as these, " The 
government of the Sultan was becoming bad 
indeed, when its representatives had nothing 
better to do than to imprison women and chil- 
dren for appeasing their hunger. Had it come 
to prisons for women in a land and empire 
where they were considered more or less free 
from interference by men ? " Such arguments 
prevailed, and orders were sent that the women 
and children were to be released and not mo- 
lested again. 

Such trials and experiences endured for any 
time unknowingly have their effect upon hu- 
man nature; we felt the long strain severely and 
were glad when it was relaxed. No sooner, 
however, was one term of difficulty over than 
another, from a less expected quarter, came. 

We had been supported for some time by 
the Episcopal Church Missionary Society, with 
whom we had worked amicably and acceptably, 
when the question was raised concerning our 
denominational standing. I had been trained 



UNLOOKED-FOR CHANGES 1 17 

and brought up in the Wesleyan Methodist 
Church, and was now employed by the State 
Church of England. Everything, except in 
one point, was favorable to my continuance as 
a missionary of that denomination ; the missing 
qualification was that I had never been con- 
firmed. Ritualistic and religious barriers ex- 
cluded my being engaged as a missionary of 
an Episcopal Society, so I had presented to 
me the choice of two things: first, being con- 
firmed and becoming a fully fledged Episco- 
palian and remaining where I was ; and second, 
that of retaining the beliefs and teaching of 
my early days and conscience, and sever my 
relation with the Society I was serving. The 
temptation to hold on was strong, but con- 
science prevailed ; refusing to become an Epis- 
copalian practically meant commencing life 
over again, but God gave me courage and grace 
to stand by my convictions. 

A few months later we left the people and 
land, both of which we loved and were willing 
to spend our lives for. The separation was a 
hard one; the people never understood why we 
left them for others to take our place. God 
grant that they never may know of the jeal- 
ousies that keep men bearing the name of 
Christ from becoming one under that name! 



Il8 UNLOOKED-FOR CHANGES 

At dawn one morning \vc quietly left our 
mountain home in Moab, driven out not by the 
semi-civilized Arab or the jealous, fanatical 
Turk, but by those who put ceremonial require- 
ments and sectarianism before the qualifications, 
suitability, and willingness of those willing to 
give their life for those still in the bondage and 
darkness of heathendom or Islam. I left Kerak 
knowing that I had done my best for every one 
I had tried to serve, whether the Moabite in his 
city or the nomad in the wilderness. It was at 
least encouraging to know that those I was 
leaving were sufficiently satisfied with the way 
I had served them to give me the following 
recommendation : — 

" Mr. Archibald Forder has been engaged in 
mission work at Kerak on the east of the Jor- 
dan for five and a half years, three of which 
have been spent in connection with the Church 
Missionary Society. Mr. Forder is a very ear- 
nest Christian and a most energetic worker, and 
the present promising position of the mission 
work at Kerak is due largely to his zeal and 
enterprise under God. 

" During the first two or three years that Mr. 
Forder was at Kerak the work was specially 
difficult and full of danger on account of the 
wild and uncivilized state of the people. They 




PHOTOGRAPH BY A. FORCER 



AN EASTERN CARAVANSARY 

These temporary shelters are found in all Eastern cities. Man and beast may have shelter 
and drink for about six cents a night. A fountain in the center of the inclosvire yields 
a constant supply of fresh water. 




PHOTOGRAP: 



THE COFFEE MAKER 

Coffee is the only beverage of the Arab. After the berries are roasted, they are pounded 
in a large mortar. The chief always drinks first, then serves his guests. No milk or sugar 
is added. A woman is never allowed to make coffee. 



UNLOOKED-FOR CHANGES 119 

were at that time beyond the control of even 
the Turkish Government, and every man did 
what was right in his own eyes. The greatest 
credit is due to Mr. Forder for the tact with 
which he dealt with the people, which was used 
by God to the opening of doors for the procla- 
mation of the gospel in very many ways. We 
are all very sorry to lose Mr. Forder from our 
mission band, but we trust and pray that the 
Lord will speedily thrust him forth into other 
work for Him, and own and bless him even 
more than whilst he was at Kerak. Wherever 
he may take up work, the C. M. S. Palestine 
Mission will always regard him as one of their 
number. 

"J. R. LoNGLEY Hall. 

" Jerusalem, February i "jth, 1 897." 

Thus, for sectarian reasons only, was lost to 
a difficult mission field well-tried, acclimatized, 
experienced, and all-round good workers. But 
larger possibilities were in the future, although 
the means are still needed to adequately carry 
them to a successful issue. 



CHAPTER XII 

INTO NEW REGIONS, AMONG SUPERSTITIOUS ZEALOTS 

AFTER leaving Kerak we retired to Jerusa- 
lem, and began to consider plans for the 
future. We had before us some serious and 
important questions to face and answer. 

1. Should the Arab suffer for our leaving 
Moab? 

2. Should the commands of our Lord about 
" all the world " and " every creature " be 
passed by heedlessly, with our knowledge of the 
need of Arabia and its people ? 

3. Ought we to allow the action of those we 
had served to hinder us from going ahead to 
win the Arabs for Christ ? 

To all this there could be but one answer — 
No. My desire was to go ahead with what I 
had in the way of experience and my knowledge 
of the language. Prayer and patience were 
soon answered, and doors opened, and supplies 
forthcoming, to enable me to penetrate new 
regions and reach tribes and peoples never 
before preached to. For a time unevangelized 
districts within easy reach of Jerusalem claimed 



INTO NEW REGIONS i2i 

my attention, and some account of the visits 
made to these localities will occupy the space 
given in this chapter. 

Some may ask why I did not stay in Moab 
and carry on an independent work among the 
people I knew so well. That was considered, 
but finally abandoned, because we felt, as did 
many of our best friends, that an opposition 
mission would cause questionings among the 
simple people that would be difficult to answer, 
and we would not have any work ruined by the 
Arabs knowing that among Protestants sec- 
tarian differences were sufficiently strong to 
allow one section of the church to treat another 
as they had me. 

But to return to my story. I spent three 
weeks among the villages around Hebron and 
with the Arabs in the wilderness of Beersheba. 

For the first time in my journeys among the 
Arabs I used a tent; a friend gave me some 
money toward it, and by doing a little work 
myself in spare time I made up the sum needed 
to buy it. I found it very useful and a great 
boon. It was a place for the people to come 
to, so I always had a congregation. Of course, 
tenting in that land is a hard life — sleeping 
on the ground, always under a hot sun, and no 
companions save the Arabs. I often get weary 



122 INTO NEW REGIONS 

and long for a soft bed and the comforts of 
home. But this is the only way to reach these 
wandering people, so I am thankful for health 
and strength and the language of the people. 
I left Hebron one morning about nine, my 
things on a mule and I on a donkey, the owner 
of the animals walking. After about four hours' 
jogging up hill and down vale, we came to a 
large village named Dawimee. At the entrance 
I asked where the guest-chamber was; being 
shown, I went there and found a lot of men in 
it. I sat down and was given some coffee ; no 
one welcomed me, and I saw I had a hard lot 
to deal with. After about an hour a chance 
occurred to me to talk about sin, leading up to 
Jesus. Presently a man said to me, " Do you 
know you are preaching in our mosque, and 
you a Christian, unclean, an infidel, and one of 
the heathen ; only a short time ago we killed 
two Jews here and you are all alone ! " Then 
they all got up and went out very angry. I was 
thinking what I should do, when in came a man 
and asked me to go to his house and stay the 
night. " The people are very bad here," he said ; 
so I went with him. He put me in a corner of 
his yard, and as it was sunset I had my supper. 
After this my host and his uncle came and sat 
down with me and I began to tell them of Jesus 



INTO NEW REGIONS 123 

the Saviour. For two hours they listened very 
attentively, and asked many questions. On into 
the night we talked. They said, " We never 
knew these things before, now we have no 
excuse ; we are glad you came ; there is no way 
but Jesus." 

Next morning early I lay as they thought 
asleep, I heard them telling others all I told 
them, so my visit was not in vain. I left during 
the morning, glad that some at least were will- 
ing to hear me. After riding about two and a 
half hours I saw a man in a large cave near the 
road. As it was noon and very hot, I went to 
him. He received me kindly, invited me in, and 
gave me dinner, — bread, oil, and dirty water. 
Soon after came two more men that stayed 
with him in the cave. They were there har- 
vesting. I began to talk with them about Jesus, 
and for a long time they listened. Then one 
said he could read. If I had a book to give 
him, he would like one. So I gave him the 
Gospel of Matthew, and left him reading it to 
his companions. From here I reached an en- 
campment of Arabs, put up my tent, and soon 
had a crowd to stare at me, but, finding them 
noisy, I shut down the door and went to the 
guest-tent. During the day I had no chance of 
speaking about Jesus. The people had some 



124 INTO NEW REGIONS 

visitors and had business to settle, so I got my 
supper of bread, onions, and water, and then, 
when all was quiet, went and sat down on the 
ground in the middle of some twelve or four- 
teen men. As it was full moon I could see 
them all. On telling them I wanted to speak 
with them, they told me to go on and talk. 
When I got to the death of Jesus, a man 
began to play a native fiddle, but was soon told 
by the others to be quiet, as they wanted to 
listen. So here again, far on into the night, I 
talked with them, and they agreed that all I had 
said was good and true. 

Next day found me at Beersheba, the home 
and favorite camping-ground of the patriarchs. 
Thousands of Bedouin gather there from all 
parts of the sandy desert, to draw water for 
their numerous flocks of sheep and herds of 
camels. Beersheba remains much the same 
as it was in the days of Abraham. The seven 
wells dug by the "father of the faithful" still 
remain, and from some of them water is still 
drawn. During my first visit there an old Arab, 
sunburnt, half clad, and ignorant, pointed with 
pride to one of the wells, and was delighted to 
inform me that their father Abraham dug it 
and watered his flocks from it. The old stones, 
deeply grooved by the rubbing and wear of the 




PHOroORAPH BY A. FORDER 



DRAWING WATER AT BEERSHEBA 

A primitive windlass turned by a camel is used to draw water from the wells at Beersheba. 
These erections are quite modern, although water has been drawn trom the wells for centu- 
ries. All the woodwork is done by native carpenters. 




HAGAR'S WELL IN THE DESERT OF BEERSHEBA 

The Arabs believe that this is the well from which water was taken by Hagar to give drink 
to Ishmael (Gen. 21 ig). The grooves in the stones have been worn by the ropes of the 
shepherds as they draw water, and prove how ancient this well is. The shaft is about 
ten feet in diameter and one hundred feet deep. 



INTO NEW REGIONS 125 

ropes, bore undisputable testimony to the an- 
tiquity of these life-giving resorts in the dry 
and desolate region known as the Negeb. 
It was not difficult to engage the Arabs in 
conversation about religion, and to those able 
to read, Scriptures were disposed of with a 
prayer that the reader might get help from it. 
Ofttimes fanatics had to be faced and dealt 
with, and many unpleasant incidents occurred 
which might have resulted seriously but for an 
overruling Providence that makes even the 
wrath of man to praise Him. Not only was Beer- 
sheba visited, but farther into that dreary waste 
I went. The story of the boy who became an 
archer and dwelt in that same wilderness was 
understood as never before, and the story made 
doubly real and interesting when I stood by the 
open well in the desert and from a Bedouin 
shepherd listened to the story of Ishmael and 
his distressed mother Hagar, after whom the 
well is still named. No books have taught 
these ancient truths to the nomads of the des- 
ert ; they have come down to them from genera- 
tion to generation with little change. It was 
near the well of Hagar that I was forbidden to 
linger, lest my presence should dry up the 
water. Guns and clubs were ready to be used 
if I persisted in remaining too long. 



126 INTO NEW REGIONS 

Falling in with a good-hearted chief, I accom- 
panied him to his encampment, consisting of 
about two hundred houses of hair. His people 
were a surly lot, and but for my host I would 
have fared badly. I stayed a few days with 
these dwellers in the wilderness of Beersheba 
and then induced the chief to accompany me to 
the historic site of Kadesh-Barnea. Some few 
men, scared at the presence of a Westerner, 
attempted to stop me, but my temporary 
guardian had sufficient influence in those parts 
to conduct me safely to the oasis so closely 
connected with the wanderings of the Israel- 
ites. My presence at old Kadesh-Barnea was 
resented and strongly objected to by the super- 
stitious people I met there. Most of them 
were shepherds, who feared the " evil eye " and 
the coming into their parts of any with some 
mysterious qualification that would enable them 
to cause the springs to dry up and stop the 
earth from yielding her produce. Rifles were 
loaded as a warning to me if I attempted any of 
my mesmeric performances ; but there was no 
occasion for their use, as my actions did not call 
for anything unusual. A drop of cold tea 
emptied out of my flask on to the ground near 
a spring caused much suspicion and excite- 
ment, for surely I was attempting to stop the 



INTO NEW REGIONS 127 

flow of the water that meant so much to those 
ignorant, isolated sons of the desert. Abuse 
was freely and liberally showered upon my Arab 
friend, and he deemed it wise to depart and 
leave his fanatical neighbors to await any dis- 
aster that might follow our visit. Strange it 
seemed to the wanderer that no ill effects re- 
sulted from my advent, either to spring, flock, 
or individual, and on return visits a more hos- 
pitable reception has been given me. 

Not only did the country of the patriarchs 
receive attention from me, but also those parts 
south of Moab, terminating in the rock-hewn 
city of Petra, with its magnificent ravines and 
wonderful excavations, all tinted by nature in 
every conceivable shade and pattern. Few 
have penetrated these recesses. The wild na- 
ture of the Bedouin and the absence of any 
human help in case of need debar most people 
from going to this ancient, rock-hewn city, which 
is full of historic interest and fascination. My 
knowledge of the land and people has enabled 
me to pay many visits there with good results. 

On my first visit I learned from an excited 
and fanatical lot of zealots that I was on ground 
jealously guarded by religious and sacred mem- 
ory and instinct, and that the presence of the 
Christian was unwelcome and undesirable. 



128 INTO NEW REGIONS 

By careful and diplomatic investigation I 
learned from the Arabs of Petra that on the 
summit of Mount Hor near by they had what 
they called the Tomb of Aaron. By careful 
drawing out I learned from them the history, 
pedigree, and pathetic closing scene connected 
with the first High Priest of Israel. After 
hearing them, I read them from the Bible the 
account of Aaron, dying on Mount Hor in 
Edom, as it is recorded in Numbers xx. 23-29. 
They were deeply interested, and assured me 
that the old tomb on the mountain was still 
preserved and jealously guarded by them. I 
expressed a desire to visit so interesting a place, 
but at once religious zeal and fanaticism came 
to the front, and I was assured that any at- 
tempts on my part to scale the mount and 
approach the tomb would cost me my life. 

They were prepared to preserve the sanctity 
of Aaron's last and long resting-place, even if 
it meant killing me. No Christian had ever 
approached the place, and the doing so would 
arouse the wrath of the dead, and bring devas- 
tation and disaster upon the whole region. 
So argued and believed these zealots of Arabia 
Petrea, and the speedy production of firearms 
and weapons showed that any attempt to force 
a visit might result in disaster. Reluctantly 



INTO NEW REGIONS 1 29 

I left those parts, a sad but wiser man. Since 
then, experience and a better feeling and 
knowledge of the Arabs there have enabled 
me to ascend the rugged mount and see for 
myself the ancient, and without doubt authentic, 
tomb of the brother of Moses. 

I count myself fortunate in being the first 
to secure photographs of this interesting shrine, 
so carefully guarded and long preserved in the 
rocky recesses of Mount Seir. 

Many journeys were made from time to 
time to untouched parts, and very profitable 
visits made with the natives in town, village, 
or camp. More than one volume would be 
necessary to chronicle my many experiences 
during first visits to new places. Patience 
and perseverance, however, generally wins in 
the long run, and those once opposed and in- 
clined to be unfriendly are now on my side. 
Succeeding chapters will reveal still more 
thrilling and providential experiences and de- 
liverances than any yet recorded in these 
pages. All that I have escaped I owe to a 
covenant and promise keeping God, and the 
realization of the presence of One who said, 
" Lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end 
of the world." 



CHAPTER XIII 

ARABIA THE DESERT OF THE SEA 

MUCH moving about among the Arabs 
in the wilderness and region south and 
southeast of Jerusalem had made me inter- 
ested in the unknown beyond. From an occa- 
sional visitor to some camp or town I would 
hear of the cities, towns, and encampments of 
Arabia, across the sandy plains that I had so 
often looked on during my stay in Moab. As 
I considered the vast expanse southeast of 
Jerusalem, the desire grew upon me to pene- 
trate the desert, and find out what the possibil- 
ities were for one who ventured into those 
regions, openly avowing himself a Christian. 
The few works on Arabia, written by men 
like Palgrave, Doughty, or Burton, did not 
promise a good time to any who went among 
the Arabians. I was encouraged to go ahead 
by people interested in mission work in needy 
fields, and so prepared to go, and if possible 
reach the capital of the peninsula, a city named 

Hayel, and have an interview with the inde- 

130 



ARABIA THE DESERT OF THE SEA 131 

pendent ruler of that land, Abdul-Azeez-ibn 
Rasheed. 

I propose in this chapter giving a short 
account of the land I was then preparing to 
enter, so that a good understanding of its loca- 
tion, history, and condition may be gained by 
the reader. 

Arabia. Its Location 

The great peninsula known in these days 
as Arabia is one of the oldest known parts of 
the earth. Long before the sons of Jacob 
went down into Egypt, the sons of Ishmael had 
settled in the land Providence had assigned 
them. The boundaries of Arabia are out- 
lined as early in the Bible as Genesis, xxv. i8. 
There is no doubt that many centuries ago 
Palestine, Syria, and the Sinaitic Peninsula were 
important parts of Arabia. Isaiah speaks of 
it as the "desert of the sea" (xxi. i), and when 
one considers it a land largely desert, almost 
entirely surrounded by water, we conclude that 
the ancient seer was not far wrong in his desig- 
nation of the land. Arabia is between Egypt 
and Persia, to put it widely, also between India 
and Europe. It has a sea-coast of about four 
thousand miles. 

Its boundaries are: on the east, the Per- 
sian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman ; the south- 



132 ARABIA THE DESERT OF THE SEA 

ern coast is washed by the Indian Ocean; the 
Red Sea and the Gulf of Akaba form the 
western boundary, whilst an undefined desert 
on the north leaves us in uncertainty as to the 
exact limit in that direction. Arabia covers an 
area of over one million square miles ; the pen- 
insula is about one thousand miles long and 
about seven hundred broad. It is four times 
the size of France, and larger than the United 
States east of the Mississippi River. 

Divisions 

Arabia is divided into three parts, viz. Ara- 
bia Felix at the southwest section of the coun- 
try ; Arabia Petrea at the northwest end ; and 
Arabia Deserta, the great interior deserts and 
high lands. These three main divisions are 
divided into districts, and known as Yemen, 
including Hadramaut, Oman, Nejran, and some 
minor places ; El Hejaz on the west coast, 
which includes in its borders the two sacred 
cities of the Mohammedans — Mecca, the birth- 
place of their prophet, and Medina, the place 
where he died and was buried ; Nejd, the great 
centre, reaching far north and east, thus losing 
itself in the districts of Aragand Hassa ; and 
Jebel Shomer on the Syrian border, which is 
really a part of Nejd. 




PHOTOGRAPH BY A. FORDER 



A SECTION OF THE SIK (RAVINE), ARABIA PETREA 

Arabia Petrea is ten days' journey south of Jerusalem, and famous for the wonderful rock- 
hewn city of Petra. This city is entered through a long ravine called by the Arabs " The 
Sik." The rock on either side is of many colors, and in places covered by ferns and creepers. 
The gorge is about a mile long and terminates in front of a magnificent rock-hewn temple 
(see page 286). 



ARABIA THE DESERT OF THE SEA 133 

Principal Cities 

In Yemen are Sana the capital, Hodeida the 
principal port, and many smaller towns, but none 
of importance. Aden cannot properly be called 
a city, although a considerable place. In reality 
it is a fortress that guards the way to India. 
In Hejaz the principal cities are Mecca and 
Medina, also layf, not far distant from Mecca. 
The port of Hejaz is Jeddah, and Yambo is 
used during certain seasons of the year. Nejd 
has for its capital Hayel. Riad, Aneeza, Bo- 
reida, and Dooreeyah are large centres of popu- 
lation tributary to and included in Nejd. Jebel 
Shomer has only two places of importance, El- 
Jowf and Sakkaka, both under the government 
of Nejd. Arag has many towns and cities, of 
which Baghdad is the most important. Kuweit, 
Kateef, and H of oof keep up the prestige of 
Hassa. In all these divisions and districts 
towns and villages innumerable are found, but 
to enumerate them would be beyond the scope 
of this book. 

Governmental Control and Influence 

Three powers control the affairs and move- 
ments in Arabia. Nearly all of Yemen, Hejaz, 
Hassa, and Arag is under Turkish government 



134 ARABIA THE DESERT OF THE SEA 

and control, as is the eastern half of the Sinaitic 
peninsula. The coast of the Persian Gulf and 
a goodly track of country around Aden are con- 
trolled by the British ; Nejd, the great interior, 
has its own ruler, who is independent of any 
of the great powers, even its neighbor, Turkey. 
In spite of many attempts to gain Nejd for 
Egypt and even Turkey, that great table-land 
still remains free and independent. The time 
may not be far distant when a more aggressive 
and enlightened government may control the 
peninsula, and use it as a bridge to join East 
and West and reduce the distance and time 
between them. What or who that power will 
be, remains to be seen. 

Population and Language 

In a country so little known as Arabia, and 
where no census is ever taken, it is very diffi- 
cult to even estimate the population. Various 
statements have been made from time to time 
during the last century by those who ventured 
into the land. Some have estimated eight mil- 
lions as the total of the inhabitants of Arabia, 
others have put the number at fourteen millions. 
It is generally agreed that eleven millions is a 
fair estimate for the three great divisions that 



ARABIA THE DESERT OF THE SEA 135 

are included in the peninsula. Whatever the 
number of millions in Arabia may be, we have 
fulfilled in them the four times repeated prom- 
ise concerning Ishmael, " He shall become a 
great nation, that shall not be numbered for 
multitude." 

The language of the whole country is Ara- 
bic, with varying dialects, pronunciations, and 
vocabularies in different parts. The purest 
Arabic spoken is heard in Nejd, and may be 
accounted for by its isolation and non-contami- 
nation by other languages. The Arabic lan- 
guage is one of the hardest to acquire. 

Before leaving for the field the writer was 
told by a lifelong Arabic scholar, " I have 
studied Arabic for more than forty years, and 
am only just beginning to understand it." Let 
me quote Ion Keith Falconer, who, after pass- 
ing the Semitic Languages Tripos at Cam- 
bridge, and taking a special course in Arabic 
at Leipzig, writes from Egypt, " I am getting 
on in Arabic, but it is most appallingly hard." 
Five years later he writes from Aden, " I am 
learning to speak Arabic quite nicely, but it 
will be long before I can deliver real dis- 
courses." Progress in Arabic means years of 
weary, ceaseless plodding and endless diligence. 
Arabic for mission use is not picked up. 



136 ARABIA THE DESERT OF THE SEA 

Religion of Arabia 

Arabia has always been a land of religion. 
At different periods in its history it has had 
its followers of and adherents to Judaism, prim- 
itive Christianity, heathendom, that permitted 
the most cruel, degrading, and disgusting prac- 
tices. Star, sun, and fire worshippers have all 
advocated their beliefs, forms of worship, and 
sacrifices in Arabia, but it remained for the 
great enthusiast of the desert to gather the 
people of the " desert of the sea " under one 
system and lead them to a belief in One God 
and Mohammed as his messenger. 

For thirteen hundred years the Arabs of 
Arabia have clung tenaciously to the teaching 
of the Meccan youth, and are now known as 
Moslems or Mohammedans. 

In Yemen, Arag, and on the Persian Gulf, 
thousands of Jews still reside, tolerated by the 
Moslem because of the service, plunder, and 
use they can extort from them from time to 
time. In Arabia the two branches of the de- 
scendants of Abraham have no love or even 
respect for each other, although they adore 
and pride themselves on their patriarchal an- 
cestry. In another chapter the present-day 
religion of the Arabs will be described. 



ARABIA THE DESERT OF THE SEA 1 37 

Products of Arabia 

From such a land much cannot be expected, 
and yet different lines of steamers carry away 
cargoes of things to be used in other lands. 
Yemen exports enormous quantities of coffee, 
hides, senna, and incense. From the Persian 
Gulf shores and the hinterland dates go to all 
parts of civilization. Nejd, the great unex- 
plored interior, furnishes the British army in 
India and Egypt with thousands of camels and 
horses. The great centres of population in 
Palestine, Syria, and even Egypt ofttimes have 
their meat supplies replenished by tens of 
thousands of sheep and goats bred and fed on 
the mountains and in the oases of the great 
peninsula. 

Animals, Wild and Domestic 

The nature of the country is not conducive 
to anything elaborate in this way. Under wild 
animals may be named wolf, wild boar, jackal, 
hyena, fox, wild cow, about the size of a donkey, 
gazelle, and a few rabbits. Domestic animals 
are few, but important, by reason of their great 
utility. They include the camel, horse, mule, 
donkey, cow, sheep, and goat. The dog is 
everywhere found, and in the desert is the 



138 ARABIA THE DESERT OF THE SEA 

protector and alarmist on the approach of 
strangers. A few birds and reptiles exist ; none, 
however, except the ostrich, of any importance. 

Means of Tra^isportation 

Until quite recently railroads were unknown 
in Arabia, and even now only one is in process 
of construction. Under the Turkish govern- 
ment, paid for by money from all parts of the 
Mohammedan world, a railroad is being laid 
down from Damascus to Mecca. If ever this 
is completed, it will be a modern miracle, and 
no doubt will go a long way toward opening 
up the land and helping inquisitive travellers 
to get into Mecca. Time alone will answer 
the inquiry, " Will it be finished ? " In the 
mountains, where water can be had once a day, 
the mule, horse, or donkey may be hired for a 
journey at a very low rate. 

If the desert has to be crossed, and the scarc- 
ity of water reckoned with, then the unsightly 
but useful camel must be sought. With his 
spongy hoof, long neck, quick eye, and abil- 
ity to abstain for ten days from water, the 
camel is well equipped for the desert journey. 
Treated kindly and regularly fed, this patient 
but much maligned animal will do excellent 
service and carry its rider many hundreds of 



ARABIA THE DESERT OF THE SEA 139 

miles. Wheeled vehicles are practically un- 
known in Arabia, except on the coast. 

What is being done to evangelize Arabia ? 
Little, but thank God something. At Aden a 
small mission ministers to the physical needs of 
the Arabs, and in the dispensary the gospel is 
faithfully preached every day. One man bears 
the burden there. In the Persian Gulf, on the 
Bahrein Islands, the Dutch Reformed Church 
of America has its headquarters of the Arabian 
mission. On the coast they have a few stations, 
and they, like others, await the time when, 
by reason of ample men, means, and support, 
they will reach the interior. May God speed 
the time ! These two efforts, with the writer's 
own, is all that at present is being done for the 
evangelization and redemption of Ishmael. 

The writer has been the first as a Christian 
missionary to go any distance into the country, 
the account of which succeeding chapters will 
detail. Arabia needs at once, 

The Pioneer Missionary, 
The Medical Missionary, 
The Evangelizing Missionary, 
The Teaching Missionary. 

Would that some readers of these pages might 
give their money to help the missionary claim 



140 ARABIA THE DESERT OF THE SEA 

Arabia for Christ, just as readily as the million- 
naires of New York are doing to fit out expedi- 
tions to find the North Pole and get credit to 
their country for so doing ! 

Can we, whose souls are lighted 
With wisdom from on high ; 
Can we to men benighted 
The lamp of life deny? 

Judging from Arabia, it seems we can. 



CHAPTER XIV 

ATTEMPTS TO ENTER ARABIA END IN CAPTURE, 
PRISON, AND BROKEN BONES 

THE previous chapter has introduced to 
the reader the country that it was my 
desire to enter and open up for future mission- 
ary operations. As the desire grew on me the 
difficulties seemed to accumulate, and those 
most interested in my movements and work 
strongly urged me not to attempt the journey 
alone. 

For many reasons a companion was advisable ; 
volunteers were called for, and in response two 
young men offered their services, each assured 
in his mind that he was called to such an under- 
taking and work. The funds necessary for such 
a movement as was anticipated were all pro- 
vided, and I waited for my companion. Months 
passed, and one excuse after another was made 
for delaying the start. Eventually both volun- 
teers decided to abandon the project, one because 
he preferred to remain with his newly married 
wife, and the other lacked the faith and cour- 

141 



142 ATTEMPT TO ENTER ARABIA 

age to set out on such a hazardous journey 
without the assurance of any human help. 
Since then I have been thankful that the young 
fellows did withdraw, for the following chapters 
will tell what trials and hardships awaited us, 
and the possibilities are that those volunteers 
would have been a hindrance to me rather than 
a help. 

Now the question arose: should the proposal 
be longer delayed, or should I set out alone ? 
I decided that I would start alone, so set to 
work and in a short time was ready. Scrip- 
tures were packed, my own few necessities 
arranged, drugs and clothing put in readiness 
for immediate use, and lastly animals and men 
hired to convey me to the edge of the desert 
on the east of Jerusalem. The name of the 
place I was bound for, as the first stage in my 
journey, was Maan, a twin town on the northern 
edge of the great Arabian desert. From Jeru- 
salem it was about two hundred miles' distance, 
and from that twin town I felt sure I could find 
Bedouin, or join a caravan that would take me 
over the first stretch of desert that would have 
to be crossed. 

Toward the end of 1899 I set out, in com- 
pany with three men known to me. My cases 
were loaded on two mules ; a third one was at 



ATTEMPT TO ENTER ARABIA 143 

my disposal for riding. All went well for four 
days, and then my progress was put a stop to 
in not an unexpected way. We had reached a 
large Arab encampment which was pitched on 
the eastern border of the vast plains of Moab. 
The people had seen me before, in fact I had 
treated some of them after a severe battle with 
an hostile tribe, so I had a hearty welcome and 
was treated in the best style as an honored 
guest. Next morning I was up early and ready 
for another stage of my journey, but the people 
insisted on my spending the day with them in 
their tents, so I consented to do so. 

Some part of that day was passed in the guest- 
tent, where many of the men assembled to talk 
and drink coffee, but they courteously agreed 
to listen as I read and spoke to them concern- 
ing the Saviour and their need of His atone- 
ment. I found a few men that were able to 
read, and they accepted Scriptures and tracts 
from me. Visiting in the tents gave opportu- 
nity to speak with individuals or give a kind 
word to some of the women busy about some of 
their many duties. 

The evening came, and supper had been 
served and disposed of, and the making of the 
after-supper coffee was about to begin, when 
the sound of horses' hoofs on the hard earth. 



144 ATTEMPT TO ExNTER ARABIA 

and the clanking of chains and arms, was heard. 
The word " soldiers " came from many lips, and 
hardly had they been uttered when six Turkish 
cavalry in charge of an officer rode up in front 
of the long black tent. They dismounted, tied 
their horses to the tent ropes or stakes, and 
came into the tent. " Where is that traveller 
you have here ? " they asked in sharp tones, 
and for a moment received no reply from my 
astonished and frightened friends, and as I was 
dressed in native costume I was not discernible 
among the many. 

I rose and went toward the surly officer, tell- 
ing him that I was the one he was inquiring 
for, and asked him what he wanted. He told me 
that he had been sent to arrest me and take me 
to the Turkish governor in a place about thirty 
miles distant. It was suggested by the chief 
that the soldiers spend the night in the camp, 
but they refused. They demanded animals for 
myself and baggage, which were soon forthcom- 
ing, and in a very few minutes we were off, I 
in the midst of the soldiers, and the baggage 
animals urged on by the Arabs, who unwillingly 
had been forced to undertake this night march. 
We rode for about three hours, during which 
little was said. Once the surly official cursed 
me and called me a " dog," because I had been 



ATTEMPT TO ENTER ARABIA 145 

the cause of them being sent post-haste to 
capture me. That gentleman said little else 
to me whilst in my company, for he got the 
length of my tongue, and a reminder that it 
was neither politic nor advisable for him to call 
an Englishman a dog. He took the scolding 
and the warning meekly, and I hope became a 
wiser and more cautious man ; if nothing else, 
he certainly became a quieter one. 

About ten o'clock we saw the flames of camp- 
fires and soon alighted at the guest-tent. The 
people knew me and were sorry to see me a 
prisoner. They were not slow to tell the 
soldiers how I had helped them in times past, 
one man giving visible proof by showing the 
mark on his arm where he had been cut by a 
spear and I had sewn it up. That night I 
slept between my captors, and early next morn- 
ing was roused and escorted on the journey. 
After about four hours we reached the place 
from whence the soldiers had come. They 
took me to the government house and delivered 
me to the official in charge there. He soon 
found that he had no great catch in me, but 
told me that I must return to Jerusalem under 
escort, as his orders were that no traveller was 
to pass that way without special permission 
from Constantinople, I stayed a week in that 



146 ATTEMPT TO ENTER ARABIA 

Arab city, disposed of most of my books, and 
then in charge of three soldiers was sent to 
Jerusalem. 

The first attempt had ended in seeming 
failure, but some knowledge and experience had 
been gained, which afterward came in useful. 
My disappointment was His appointment, and 
was for a wise purpose. 

Early the next spring I set out again, this 
time in company with a gentleman who for 
geographical purposes and scientific research 
was visiting Edom and going to Maan. As 
he had government permission, we in due time 
reached the place I had set out for on my 
previous trip, but failed to reach. After a few 
days in Maan my friend returned, leaving me 
alone, with the hope of soon proceeding farther 
east. Here too in Maan I found men that 
knew me because of surgical or medical help 
they had received from me years before when 
in Kerak. No one knows the value of the 
medical missionary as an agency for opening 
up new lands ; this is another instance among 
others from other lands. Let none lightly 
esteem the work of the medical missionary. 
A house was put at my disposal, and my few 
belongings and Scriptures deposited therein. 

My bed was a sack on the hard floor and my 



ATTEMPT TO ENTER ARABIA 147 

only covering at night my large native cloak. 
For three days all went well ; in return for 
Scriptures I received eggs, bread, and fruit, and 
from a spring near by I drew my water for 
drinking and in it washed my clothes. Late in 
the afternoon of the third day a soldier appeared 
at the door with an order for me to appear at 
once before the local governor. He was one 
who had taken a leading part in the massacre 
of the Armenians some time before, and by the 
Turkish government had been rewarded by 
the post of governor at Maan. I went to him, 
and he began to bully me and ordered me to 
leave the place within an hour. I told him I 
was within my rights in being there, and pre- 
sented my Turkish passport. He ridiculed 
that, and said, " as he was governor there he 
could do as he liked." He then ordered that 
I should be shut up in a small room, de- 
tained till morning, and then sent away under 
escort. So I was put in safe-keeping with two 
others, and left through the night. At day- 
break two soldiers appeared with a mule, on 
which were loaded my things. I was ordered 
to mount, two cakes of dry bread were given 
me, and in charge of two mounted men I was 
sent away from Maan, and so for the second time 
turned my back on Arabia, more and more de- 



148 ATTEMPT TO ENTER ARABIA 

termined that I would not be discouraged by 
these seeming failures. 

Having tried the southern way twice and 
failed on both occasions, I determined to try 
the northern route and endeavor to join a 
caravan going down into Arabia from Da- 
mascus. After a few days at home I made an- 
other start, this time in quite another direction. 

On the fourth day out, as we were slowly 
ascending a zigzag road, the horse in front of 
mine suddenly commenced to kick, and before 
I knew what had happened I was lying under 
my horse on the steep mountain path, with my 
left leg broken. I lay there for several hours 
while a man went back to the nearest place 
to secure a doctor. He arrived, and with my 
leg tied to a stout pole I was carried back 
to the doctor's house. The bone had been 
badly splintered, and for weeks I lay without 
any progress being made toward the use of 
my leg. At length I was carried home to 
Jerusalem and was then informed that the 
limb would never be useable by reason of the 
bone being badly set. The only hope for me 
was to go into a hospital, have my leg opened, 
the bone broken down, some taken out, and 
the limb properly adjusted. I did as I was 
advised and in a few weeks was able to get 



ATTEMPT TO ENTER ARABIA 149 

about on crutches, later with the aid of a 
stick, and then to my joy without any help at 
all. 

The entrance into Arabia was again delayed, 
and sufficient had occurred to quench any 
superficial enthusiasm, if such had ever existed, 
which, however, in my case had not. These 
delays and seeming failures only made me the 
more desirous to carry out what I believed to 
be a God-implanted desire in me. Some ad- 
vised giving it up, for surely Providence was 
against me. But I could not see my way clear 
to do that, for was not the Evangelization of 
IsHMAEL and the Redemption of Arabia at 
stake, and neither of these could or can be 
accomplished without seeming failures, disap- 
pointments, and trials, all permitted by One too 
wise to err and who 

Moves in a mysterious way 
His wonders to perform. 

The capture and imprisonment may have 
been disappointing and humiliating, and the 
broken limb looked upon as a bad job, but out 
of all came blessing in the way of experience, 
information, larger faith, an extended vision, 
and, to crown all, the success that many had 
prayed for and believed in, although long 



150 ATTEMPT TO ENTER ARABIA 

delayed. The sweets were all the sweeter, and 
the joys more appreciated, because of what had 
been experienced before they were realized. 
My next will tell of better days and my arrival 
on the edge of the desert. 




A CHRISTIAN WOMAN OF MOAB 

This woman is a resident of Kerak, the capital of Moab, and is a member of the chief 
family there. Compare her with the three women opposite page i 'io a,nd. the difference 
made by Christianity is very apparent. Her family is famous among the Arabs for their 
hospitality, and this woman and her husband always entertain Mr. P^order during his visits 
to their citv, in return for services rendered durin.g a long time of sickness and trouble. 



CHAPTER XV 

A FOURTH VENTURE BRINGS ME TO THE DESERT's 
EDGE 

PREVIOUS failures had not discouraged 
me sufficiently to make me give up the 
idea of reaching the district and town of the 
Jowf, the most important and largest town in 
Northern Arabia. Although difficulties, dan- 
gers, and hindrances had come and might still 
be expected, to have anticipated them would 
only have led to discouragement. Many of my 
friends thought that God's time had come for 
another attempt to be made to reach some part 
of the regions beyond Moab and Edom. We 
had hoped that a travelling companion would 
even then have been forthcoming, but no vol- 
unteer was on hand. Accordingly, with some 
reluctance, our little community had to let me 
go alone. On Thursday morning, the thirteenth 
day of December, 1900, a few friends came 
to our home in Jerusalem, and in prayer we 
committed each other to God's keeping, not 
knowing how long it would be before we 

151 



152 A FOURTH VENTURE 

should thus gather round the Mercy-seat again. 
Meanwhile two packhorses were being loaded 
outside. 

Four cases of Arabic Scriptures, tracts, and 
leaflets, the most limited quantity of bare neces- 
sities for the anticipated journey, and one man 
to accompany me the first few days of my 
journey made up the advance party and equip- 
ment of the first missionary journey into Ara- 
bia from the north. 

A few friends went with me a little way, and 
the time came to say the final " Good-by." 
It was easy enough to bid farewell to the 
grown-ups, but the last straw came from my 
little four-year-old, when, on stooping down to 
kiss him, he said, in his childish voice, " Will 
you be long, Dadda? " It was a question that 
none could answer. The future was only 
known to God. Jumping on top of one of 
the loads, I got away, wondering when I 
should see those same kind and praying friends 
again, and pondering, as I rode along, what 
would be the outcome of this quiet, simple, 
and inexpensive movement toward the land 
and birthplace of the great antagonist of Chris- 
tianity, the religion of Islam. 

Calvary, outside the wall, and the Mount of 
Olives, on the east, were soon left behind ; a last 




CALVARY, OUTSIDE THE WALL 

The hill on the left side is Golgotha, i. e., the place of a skull. On the right is the north 
wall of Jerusalem. The road leads to Jericho, and was traversed by Mr. Forder when 
attempting to enter Arabia. 




OLD TOWER AND CASTLE AT SULKHUD 

These ancient remains of the stone age are on the edge of the desert, southeast of Damas- 
cus. How Mr. Forder passed this place in the fog is told on page 164. Turkish obstruc- 
tion hinders modern travelers from visiting these interesting ruins. 



A FOURTH VENTURE 1 53 

look at Jerusalem from the Bethany road, and 
then the quiet little village itself was passed, with 
its screaming children clamoring for "back- 
sheesh." Down into the valley, and on as far 
as the Good Samaritan's Inn, where a drink of 
water was begged from the lonely occupant of 
that venerable hostel, who ekes out an exis- 
tence by selling a few drinks and providing 
hasty cups of coffee for passers-by. Soon we 
reached Jericho and were accommodated by the 
kind-hearted keeper of the Jordan Hotel. Here 
I met that cordial friend of travellers to the 
Holy Land, the Hon. Selah Merill, U.S. 
Consul at Jerusalem, who, with his two sisters, 
were seeking a short time of rest and refresh- 
ment in the cool and quiet of Jericho. Early 
next morning we were off again and pursued 
our way over the plains of Jordan, crossed the 
swiftly flowing river, on over the plains, and up 
into the mountains of Gilead. Toward even- 
ing we came to a Circassian settlement at the 
head of the Wady Seir. In vain we tried to 
get a shelter from the threatening storm. But 
the Circassian in those parts has no love for 
the stranger, and we were driven from door to 
door, until we decided to spend the night in 
the open, even if it involved sitting up and 
watching all night. 



154 A FOURTH VENTURE 

On the outskirts of the village we met a 
woman who shouted at us in a very unceremo- 
nious style, " Where are you going at this time 
of the day ; it is now sunset, and the night is 
near." We replied, " We have tried to find a 
guest-room, but no place is open to us." Her 
reply was, " My house is open to all comers ; 
turn aside, and spend the night with us." 

So, accepting her invitation and obeying her 
order to follow her, we soon found ourselves 
lodged in her limited space styled a house. 
We soon found that we were not the only 
occupants of those four walls. One corner 
contained not only our two horses, but the 
owner's possession in the way of live stock — 
a mule, two donkeys, a yoke of oxen, some sheep 
and goats, and the usual crowd of cocks and 
hens. Add to this our host and hostess, four 
small dirty children, and the circle was com- 
plete. It is needless to make mention of the 
innumerable company of jumpers, who, by their 
persistent efforts at feasting, kept me reminded 
of their presence. 

Supper of bread and fried eggs was served, 
apologies made for the absence of coffee, and 
then we settled down for a talk, which I soon 
turned into a religious direction. Introducing 
the Book, we spent a time in reading and speak- 



A FOURTH VENTURE 155 

ing of Salvation, much to the interest, and, I 
trust, lasting good, of these simple people. 
Tired out, we lay on the mud floor, wrapped up 
in our native cloaks, and tried to get rest, but it 
was difficult. Early next morning we were 
about. The good woman kindly offered us a 
batch of bread, if we would wait whilst she 
baked it, which we did. 

The next two days led us to Es-Salt — Ra- 
moth-Gilead — and Gerash, and on to Edrei in 
Bashan. On the way I met some of my Kerak 
friends returning from Damascus, where they 
had been compelled to go, carrying goods for 
the Turkish Government. The next day, our 
sixth out, dawned cloudy and windy, but hop- 
ing for fair weather, we set out. We had been 
going for about four hours, with our faces set 
against a cold east wind, when it began to rain, 
then hail, and soon we were drenched. We 
could see far ahead of us the only place of 
shelter, that being the old town of Bosrah, one 
of the giant cities of Bashan, with its massive 
castle and interesting ruins. Our intention 
had been to evade this place, and so escape the 
possibilities of being captured by the Turkish 
officials and sent home under escort, as on 
former occasions in the south. However, as 
the storm continued, we were forced to enter 



156 A FOURTH VENTURE 

the town. We decided to seek the shelter of 
some guest-room in the quarter of the town 
farthest away from the castle in which the 
soldiers and officers were quartered. But man 
proposes and God disposes, to show that He 
can and will deliver. We entered the town on 
the north side, clambering over ruined houses 
and tumbled-down walls. We tried the first 
house we came to, only to find the guest-room 
full to overflowing. We walked up and down 
the narrow, muddy streets, hoping to find 
shelter, but the same answer came from every 
door: "The sudden storm has filled the guest- 
room; you must seek elsewhere." One man 
told us he had just come from the house of the 
governor, and that his large guest-room was 
empty. We turned away again, and were lead- 
ing our beasts along a narrow street, when we 
came face to face with a man whose dress 
proclaimed him an official. He stopped and 
asked us who we were, where we were from, 
where we were going, to all of which we gave 
answers. On hearing we were looking for 
shelter, he said, " Come with me ; I will find 
you and your animals shelter at the governor's 
house." We could say or do nothing, but just 
obey and follow. In a few minutes we entered 
the large courtyard of the head man, and stood 



A FOURTH VENTURE 157 

at the guest-room door. The servants — in the 
absence of the master — greeted us, and carried 
our belongings into the large room. Our horses 
were taken off to the stable. A large wood 
fire was burning on the floor in the middle of the 
room. We sat down and warmed ourselves at 
the fire, thankful for the shelter from the cold 
and rain outside. The official that had brought 
us to the place had gone away and left us. I 
engaged the few men in conversation, and was 
glad to learn that the governor was not a 
Turk, but an Arab and of local descent. This 
was encouraging, as I might look for better 
treatment from such a one than from an out- 
sider. After a time the official returned, clad 
in full uniform, with his sword on, as his sign 
of authority. He said to me, " My business as 
inspector is to examine all cases and goods that 
are brought into this place; get up and open 
your boxes, so that I may see what they con- 
tain." My reply was short, but to him bitter, 
" Never ; this is no custom-house." He tried 
first by persuasion, then by threats, to get me 
to open up my baggage. But I had one reply — 
" No." At last he said, " If you will not open 
them, I will." I said, " Go ahead then, when 
you like." I had told him what they contained, 
but he said I lied. " You have guns and pow- 



158 A FOURTH VENTURE 

der with which to arm the Arabs and get them 
to rise against the Government," he said. He 
was, however, too wise a man to touch my 
belongings, and he again tried persuasion. At 
last I said, " I will only open my goods for your 
inspection on two conditions. First, that you 
bring from the British Consul, also the Turkish 
governor in Damascus — three days' journey 
distant — written orders that I must do so ; or, 
secondly, that you accompany me to Damascus, 
and, in the presence of the British Consul, if 
he so orders, I will open for your inspection." 
With this he went away, saying he was going 
off to see the head man. After we had supped, 
the head man came to sit with us. He asked 
many questions, which I answered. He re- 
quested my Turkish passport, which I pro- 
duced. After examining it, he handed it back, 
saying it was all right. He then told me that 
according to orders from the Government no 
Europeans were allowed in those parts, and he 
had orders to send back under escort all that 
came along. " But," he said, " as you seem to 
be almost an Arab, and are going to Damascus, 
may God go with you and give you peace." 
He little knew or thought what a long time it 
would be, or what a long way round I was 
going to get to Damascus. We settled down 



A FOURTH VENTURE 1 59 

to a talk. I told him about the officious in- 
spector, and he told me not to mind him. 
With this he came in, and asked to be given 
permission by the head man — my host — to 
open my luggage. He got this reply : " To- 
night this man is my guest, and as such you 
must not touch him or his belongings whilst 
under my roof. In the morning, when he 
leaves me, you can do as you like, but under 
my protection he or his must not be interfered 
with ; we respect and protect all who come 
under our roofs." With this he went away, 
and I saw no more of him. I then introduced 
the New Testament, and we sat until past ten 
o'clock reading and speaking about Jesus. On 
leaving me to go to his own apartments he 
accepted a copy of the New Testament in 
Arabic. 

Next day dawned dull and misty. We de- 
cided to make a start, hoping for finer weather. 
When we got outside the town and turned our 
faces east, in which direction we were going, 
we could see in front of us the old, but very 
prominent, castle of Sulkhud, away some twenty- 
five miles distant. It was our wish to get be- 
yond that place and spend the night in Orman, 
a large Druze settlement, where I was to give 
up my man and horses and let them return to 



l6o A FOURTH VENTURE 

Jerusalem. Our way lay over a wide, level 
plain, the road, a small worn path, ofttimes dif- 
ficult to follow because of the stony nature of 
the ground. About noon we reached a little 
village called El-Ghusm, through the midst of 
which we had to pass. I saw some very old 
and interesting doors here, solid slabs of basalt, 
turning on hinges that were a part of the stone, 
and let into sockets. I was fortunate in getting 
a good picture of these stone doors. After leav- 
ing this place the sky clouded over, and another 
storm came on. The wind, rain, and hail made 
it impossible for us to hold up our heads and look 
ahead ; our horses turned against it and got off 
the track, and soon we discovered we had 
lost the way. My compass told me we were 
going south instead of east. Turning in the 
latter direction we tried again, but all to no 
purpose. For hours we persevered, but seemed 
to get no further on. A mist had risen, enough 
to cover from our view the old castle by which 
we had to pass. We were cold and wet, and 
began to think we might have to spend the 
night in the open, for evening was drawing on. 
Presently, Mohammed, my man, saw smoke 
rising away in the distance. How gladly we 
hailed it, and jumping off our animals, led them 
in the direction that it was to be seen. We 




STONE DOORS, BASHAN 

These interesting remains of the stone age are found east of the Jordan in the Druze country. 
These doors are slabs of black basalt; they turn on pivots let into sockets in the upper and 
lo'iver lintels. When struck they ring clear as a bell. Some doors still in use are nine feet 
high and six feet wide. Unfortunately, these ancient remains are being destroyed to give 
way to more modem fittings. 



A FOURTH VENTURE i6l 

found it going up from a small hamlet of about 
thirty houses. We rode up to the door of the 
first one we came to, and received a hearty 
" Welcome " from the men inside. We would 
not have chosen the place for its beauty or 
cleanliness, but because of our condition and 
the elements, we were glad to avail ourselves 
of the accommodation. Our things were carried 
in and huddled up in a corner. We were offered 
seats on some old mats round the fireplace. 
Some fuel, in the shape of dried manure, was 
brought, and an attempt at making a fire made, 
but it resulted in more smoke than flame or 
heat, and I was made to weep bitter tears from 
smarting eyes. 

Some bread was brought us, and a kind of 
molasses called " dibs," in which we dipped the 
former. Hunger made it welcome and enjoy- 
able. On asking where we were, we found that 
we were about two hours off the track, and 
some two-and-a-half hours' ride from the castle. 
My idea had been to pass the castle about dusk, 
so as possibly to escape the notice of the Turk- 
ish soldiery that were stationed there. But 
again my plans were put away in order that I 
might learn by experience that if I " commit 
my way unto the Lord, trust also in Him, He 
will bring it to pass." 



l62 A FOURTH VENTURE 

This I learned on the morrow. 

After supper the men of the hamlet in which 
we were, and which was named Moonaythree, 
gathered in to talk and sip coffee with us. My 
business was soon disclosed, and I introduced 
Bibles and gospels. Some of the men could 
read, and, to my surprise, intelligently. They 
bought some books from me, paying for them 
in kind — dried figs, flour, or eggs. When 
the time came for sleep, clad in another man's 
clothes, — because my own were too wet and 
were hung up to dry in the smoke, — I curled 
up on the hard floor, and in spite of small 
company, cold, and draughts was soon wrapped 
in Nature's sweet restorer, " balmy sleep." The 
reader will gather from these records that pio- 
neer mission work is not the easiest or most 
conducive to comfort. Let the reader of these 
pages take up the privilege of daily remember- 
ing at the Throne of Grace those who represent 
the home-section of the Church by going into 
new fields and among new peoples, so that all 
may at least know of a Saviour from sin. 
Next morning I was accosted by a man that 
had been driven in by the storm and had 
lodged in a house near by. He had heard 
about the books I had, and wanted some to take 
to his town some distance away northeast. To 



A FOURTH VENTURE 163 

him I disposed of eight copies — six Testaments 
and two Bibles — also giving him an assortment 
of tracts and leaflets. I heard about these some 
months later on, that they were well received 
and were being read with much interest. As 
the morning was fine, we did not stay long ; so, 
getting directions how to regain the track, we 
started. 

Coming up out of the depression in which 
we had passed the night, we saw ahead of us 
the old castle, our landmark of yesterday. I 
was almost certain if only we could get beyond 
the castle, no more hindrances from the Govern- 
ment might be looked for, because beyond that 
place they exerted very little power. But the 
thing was to pass unobserved, and as the path 
passed close under the castle it seemed impossi- 
ble to get by unnoticed. We could see the 
soldiers moving about on the castle walls, and 
as we drew nearer the north side, the sentry on 
guard was very prominent. My man quite lost 
heart and made up his mind to be taken and 
sent back. I tried to encourage him by re- 
minding him how we had escaped detention at 
Bosrah, and told him that God would help us. 
When we got quite near to the hill leading up 
to the castle, a thick fog came on, quite an un- 
usual thing in those parts, and under cover of 



1 64 A FOURTH VENTURE 

the fog we rode on until we came to several 
paths leading in different directions. Had it 
been clear, I could easily have found my way, 
having gone over the country once before. 
We took the wrong path and soon lost the 
way, but could not right ourselves because of 
the dense fog. I said to Mohammed, " If only 
the fog would open for a moment and let me 
see the castle, I should know where we were 
and how to steer." No sooner had I said the 
words than the fog divided for a moment, but 
sufficient for me to catch a glimpse of the 
castle, which I recognized as the northeast 
angle. Getting off my horse, I led him back 
and soon found the track again. Through that 
dense fog we walked, passed and saluted the 
sentry, but did not see him, on past the govern- 
or's house, and out on to the open ground be- 
yond the castle and town. Five minutes after 
passing these the fog disappeared, the sun 
shone brightly, and we saw behind us the castle 
and house that sheltered the representatives of 
a Government opposed to all Christian move- 
ments for the spread of the gospel. 

I recognized in this second marked deliver- 
ance the hand of God, and was encouraged to 
go on, believing that God would prosper this 
simple movement toward Arabia. One hour 



A FOURTH VENTURE 1 65 

after passing this place we reached the large 
Druze town of Orman, situated on the edge of 
the sandy plains that lead away toward the 
Jowf. This was the first stage of our journey, 
and although some parts of it had been rough, 
yet I felt that the good hand of God had been 
on me, and I had the assurance that the next 
stage of the journey would be accomplished in 
His own way and time. 

We put up in a large guest-room on the out- 
skirts of the town. My hosts consisted of three 
brothers, all of whom treated me kindly. I 
proved here the truth of the Arab proverb, 
" Mountain can never meet mountain, but man 
may meet man." One of the brothers knew 
me, having met me in Damascus two years be- 
fore. My things were stowed away out of 
sight, and I was given to understand that I was 
to be quite at home. So on the 20th of 
December I took up my quarters among these 
strange people, the Druzes, with their secret 
religion. Early next morning Mohammed left 
me, taking with him the horses. He begged 
me to return to Jerusalem with him, remind- 
ing me of the danger and hardships I should 
have to endure if I went any farther. After he 
had gone I felt that another cord had been 
severed that was likely to have kept me from 



1 66 A FOURTH VENTURE 

the desire of many years. I was sorely tempted 
to give way and return, but the thought of the 
promises in Psalm cxxi settled the matter. I 
had no idea what the future would reveal ; that 
we must leave for the next chapter. 




DRTJZE CHIEFS 

The Druzes live southeast of Damascus. They have a secret religion, and worship at 
night. In manners and customs they are like the Bedouin; their white turbans distinguish 
them from the Arabs. These two entertained Mr. Forder when going to Arabia. 




BY A. FORDER 



GETTING READY TO MOVE HOUSE 

The Bedouin move every few days. The work of pulling down and setting up the tents 
is done by the women. _ Notice the baby slung on a tripod whilst the mother is preparing 
to move. Early morning is the time generally chosen to move camp. 



CHAPTER XVI 

BETWEEN DRUZE AND ARAB I GET INTO THE 
DESERT 

A PRO LONGED stay at Orman gave me 
a good opportunity for mission work 
among a people that, to my knowledge, had 
never been visited before. One thing is certain, 
no copy of the Scriptures had been taken 
there, or if so, had been lost sight of. My first 
few days were spent in visiting among the 
people in their homes. I inquired for the 
Scriptures, but found no trace of them. I had 
daily opportunity for speaking with the people 
about salvation and the Saviour. 

After supper, two hours were generally spent 
with the guests that had come in to spend the 
night. The best attention was given to all I 
said, and these evening gatherings ofttimes re- 
sulted in the sale of a few gospels or Bibles. 
These were carried away to different places by 
the owners as they went to their homes next 
day. In Orman itself I left about forty copies 
of the New Testament — many of them were 
bought by big boys that were able to read 

167 



l68 I GET LNTO THE DESERT 

quite well. Some kind friend had sent me 
from England, some time before, fifty copies of 
the life of Joseph and the gospel of John 
bound together ; these I found very useful and 
most acceptable among these people. One day 
I entered a house and found, sitting on the 
floor near the fire, an old Greek Priest. I en- 
gaged him in conversation, and soon found that 
he was, like hundreds of others in a like capac- 
ity, entirely ignorant of salvation by faith in 
Christ; he also told me he had never had a 
Bible. He could read well, so having with me 
a few extra good quality of binding Arabic 
Bibles, given by friends in America, I offered 
him one. He very reluctantly accepted it, 
thinking that such good fortune was not for 
him. The same day I saw him ride off to the 
village he lived and officiated in, with his 
newly acquired present wrapped in a handker- 
chief, and stored away in his bosom. The 
days spent in Orman were unpleasant and 
comfortless. Most of the time it rained or 
snowed, causing deep mud and slush. The 
only fuel was dried manure. I much preferred 
to endure the cold rather than the thick, stink- 
ing smoke that issued from the smouldering 
mass on the floor in the middle of the room. 
At night I had to lie on the hard floor, with 



I GET INTO THE DESERT 169 

only a straw mat under me. A covering was 
given me that was full of vermin, so that it is 
needless to say I did not use it after the first 
night. The people were very kind in asking 
me to their homes to a meal, generally made of 
large white peas, boiled, and then well covered 
with oil or strong fat melted down. These 
meals, always served hot, were very acceptable 
and helped to warm me, and I was very thank- 
ful to God for such a provision. There being 
no shops, I was unable to buy any food, and the 
Arabs will rarely sell food to a stranger. I shall 
never forget the Christmas Day I spent in that 
place. Heavy snow had fallen, followed by rain, 
which turned the whole place into a mud pond. 
It was also very cold, and as no fuel was to be 
had because of the snow and rain, I had to sit 
about all day enduring the cold and damp. The 
roofs of the houses being only mud, it is an easy 
matter for the rain to penetrate and come through 
into the house. Such was the case this Christ- 
mas Day. The rain was dripping through in 
some eight places, and it was a difficult matter 
to find a dry spot even in the house. Soon after 
my advent into Orman, I began asking questions 
as to the possibility of getting to the next place 
I wanted to reach — a spot marked on the map 
as Kaf. 



I/O I GET INTO THE DESERT 

I gathered it was some six days' journey away 
southeast, and the country between was waterless 
and very dangerous to travel over because of 
roving bands of Arabs that were always on the 
lookout for passers-by. The people in Orman 
were not much acquainted with the name Kaf. 
I found in common, everyday talk they always 
used the word " Kurrey-ya-tayn," which means 
" two villages," or ofttimes they spoke of them 
as " Deree-el-milh," that meaning the " salt dis- 
trict," as the work of the Arabs there was that 
of salt-gathering, which they sold to the people 
who organized caravans for the purpose of get- 
ting this everyday commodity. When I made 
known the fact that I wanted to visit the settle- 
ment of Kaf, the people shook their heads and 
said, " Don't go ; the Arabs there are a bad lot ; 
when we go there, in large parties, we never let 
the rifles out of our hands." As I was importu- 
nate, my host said he would try and find me a 
Bedouin that would take me to Kaf. From 
time to time such desert rangers came into 
Orman, and for money could be induced to 
conduct travellers over the sands. As they 
knew fairly well the whereabouts of the Arabs, 
they were the best suited to guide one in safety 
to Kaf. Two or three such men were found, 
but on being told that the intended traveller 



I GET INTO THE DESERT 171 

was a Christian, they at once said they would 
have nothing to do with such people, as their 
religion made them the enemies of God and of 
the followers of Mohammed. It was soon very 
evident that I must wait a long time to find a 
Bedouin willing to take me, so I requested my 
host to undertake for me. He gave me many 
fair promises, but kept none of them. After all 
attempts had failed, and it seemed unlikely that 
I should get on, I one day stated my case to the 
sheikh — chief man — of the place, and asked 
him to help me. He was a very nice, fatherly 
old man, and set about advising me not to go. 
Again I had brought before me the dangers of 
the desert, the fatigue, and the possibilities of 
death from thirst or the fanaticism of the 
Arabs of Kaf. 

I told the sheikh I was willing to face all that, 
and as I was trusting God to protect and keep 
me, I believed He would do so. Promising 
to free the chief from all responsibility if he 
would help me to get away, he at last said he 
would make arrangements for me to go on the 
morrow. I went back to my lodging, repacked 
my books and few belongings, and sewed some 
of my money into the waistband of my trousers, 
giving the remainder to my host to keep for me 
until my return at some unknown future date. 



172 I GET INTO THE DESERT 

Money given like this, as a trust, is quite safe, 
even in a stranger's keeping. Next morning 
I went to the sheikh. He began to make 
excuses for not being ready to start me, went 
over all I had heard before, and again he tried 
to persuade me to give up the journey. I re- 
minded him of his promise, and told him that 
as a sheikh I looked to him to keep his word, 
not break it. This put him on his mettle. 
He called a man and told him to get a camel, 
load up my things, letting me ride on top, and 
take me out and hand me over to the owner of 
the first Arab tent we came to. The order was 
soon obeyed, and we rode off. 

We went until sunset, but found no tents, 
spent the night out, and early next morning 
started again. In the afternoon we saw a few 
tents away in the distance, and went to them. 
Our reception was not a very hearty one, and I 
saw I was not very welcome. We were asked in, 
and my things were carried in and piled up one 
on the other. The man that had come with me 
told the men in the tent where I wanted to go ; 
they received the news very sullenly. Then he 
said he would return to Orman. But I felt con- 
strained to ask him to stay the night with me, 
and it was well he did. We had supper, all sit- 
ting round the same dish, and used our fingers 



I GET INTO THE DESERT 173 

in place of spoons. Being very tired, I was soon 
asleep, not waking until morning, and was then 
roused by finding the heavy tent-cloth down on 
me. I crawled out from underneath, and saw 
the women pulling down the tent previous to 
moving. I asked them why they were doing 
this so early in the day. Their reply was, 
" The men have ordered that we move to an- 
other place; they fear to give shelter to a 
Christian, one that is unclean, and would cause 
trouble to come on us. Soon the tent and their 
household goods were loaded up, the cocks and 
hens tied on top of the load. The few sheep 
and goats had been led off early in the morning. 
The little nomad community were soon off, 
leaving my companion of the previous day and 
myself standing there alone. He suggested 
that he should ride the camel and go and look 
for more tents and return again to me. I was 
to stay and watch over the luggage. I ob- 
jected, as I knew that if once he got away on 
the camel it was very doubtful if I should ever 
see him again. So I said, " Leave the camel 
with me, whilst you go and look for more 
Arabs." He consented, and went off, leaving 
me about seven in the morning. Noon came, 
and he did not return, and I waited until 
nearly four in the afternoon, and was begin- 



174 I GET INTO THE DESERT 

ning to think he had really left me, when I 
saw him coming. He had found one tent near 
by, and had spent the day with the men, talk- 
ing, eating, and sipping coffee, not caring 
about me out under the hot sun, hungry and 
thirsty. Again we loaded, and set off for the 
tent, reaching it in about an hour. I sat down 
and ate some bread, and was glad to gather 
from the conversation of the men that a large 
caravan was expected to pass that night, on 
its way to Kaf ; it was going to get salt. After 
supper we talked, and settled that if possible I 
should join the caravan, and so reach Kaf with 
it. It was full moon ; we were sitting round 
the fire in the tent door, when a man came in 
and said he could hear the bells of the camels, 
and it was the caravan. 

Quickly my things were loaded on a camel. 
I jumped on top, and my new host led off into 
the desert. By the light of the moon I could 
see coming toward us a great dark mass : that 
was the caravan. We went for about a quarter 
of an hour, and then stopped to await the 
arrival of the caravan. Soon some Arabs on 
horses galloped up to us, shouting to us, " Who 
are you ? What do you want ? " Their ques- 
tions were soon answered. Then came the 
first part of the great company, made up of 



I GET INTO THE DESERT 175 

about four hundred camels; they passed us; 
then a second, then a third, and then the last 
part. Each section was guarded by about fifty 
horsemen, armed with long spears, rifles, 
swords, and revolvers. 

As they passed us, the man with me kept 
shouting out the names of men he thought 
likely to be in the company. The first three 
sections of that great caravan, made up of six- 
teen hundred camels, passed, and no one an- 
swered the call of my man. In the last part, 
however, some men were found, and with a 
hasty explanation as to who I was and where 
I wanted to go, my baggage and self were trans- 
ferred to another camel, and I was soon in full 
swing with that moving mass, on my way to 
Kaf. No terms had been made as to payment 
for the animal I was on, or any arrangement 
made about food and water. I joined the 
caravan at quarter to nine in the evening, and 
was supposed to be four and a half days' jour- 
ney from Kaf. As we rode along I got into 
conversation with some of the men near me. 
They told me we were to make the journey 
in easy stages, because the camels, being 
loaded with wheat and barley that was to be 
bartered for salt and dates, could not travel 
long distances without resting. But I soon 



176 I GET INTO THE DESERT 

found that they were only telling me lies, so 
that, as they said when I told them afterward, 
" I should not ride with a heavy heart." We 
rode all that night, until half-past six the next 
morning, when a halt was made. " If you 
want to sleep, do so," they said, " for we only 
rest two hours." I lay down on the sand, 
covered myself with my native cloak, and was 
soon fast asleep. But I was roused in a quarter 
of an hour, and told to " Get up, the caravan is 
off." And so it was ; they were nearly all gone, 
and, jumping on my camel again, we soon 
followed, just twenty minutes after we had put 
down. 

On and on we went, never stopping until 
half-past five in the afternoon. The camels 
were made to kneel down, and rumor said we 
should rest for hours. As the men were about 
to remove the loads a cry was raised that Arabs 
were near. 

Looking up, I saw on some high ground 
overlooking us some mounted men — about ten. 
Some of our horsemen jumped on their horses 
and made off. The newcomers galloped away. 
Our men, although riding as hard as they could, 
fired their rifles after the pursued ; one was hit 
in the arm, causing him to drop his spear. I 
had mounted a hill near at hand and watched 



I GET INTO THE DESERT 177 

them. Our men were gaining on the others, 
and soon came up with them. Being outnum- 
bered, they threw dovm their arms. They 
were from a large tribe that were camped 
about a mile away. Our men made them re- 
turn with them. The order was given to load 
and start, and just fifteen minutes after putting 
down we were on the move again. A man 
thrust some hard bread into my hand as we 
moved off, and I nibbled at it as I rode along. 
The captured Arabs were made to go with us, 
and were placed in the midst of the caravan. 
This was to prevent them from returning to 
their camp and calling others, who might have 
harassed the caravan all night. We rode on 
through that night. As the sand was hard in 
those parts I walked a good bit of the way, for 
two reasons — to keep awake, and to keep 
warm. The day dawned, but no halt was made. 
The captured Arabs were allowed to return, as 
there was now nothing to fear from them or 
their people. The sun rose, but on we went. 
About ten o'clock some of the men called to 
me, " Look ! see the palms, they belong to Kaf ; 
we shall soon be there." 

About eleven o'clock we rode into the place, 
and in the square formed by the houses the 
camels were made to kneel down, were un- 



178 I GET INTO THE DESERT 

loaded, and given food. We had ridden for 
thirty-eight hours with only half an hour's stop. 
The return journey was made in six days. 
It is needless to say I was tired, thirsty, and 
hungry, but the thought of really having got to 
Kaf — the desire of years realized — made me 
forget the fatigue of the journey in the joy of 
being there. I left the hubbub of the square 
and went off to the palm gardens near by and 
jumped for joy, then sang the Doxology, and 
afterward gave thanks to my Heavenly Father 
for the fulfilment of the promises I had trusted 
in, as written in the 121st Psalm. I then went 
to a spring of warm sulphur water and had a 
wash, then returned to the men in the square. 
They took me into a small mud house near by, 
the owner of which was known to them. A 
large tray of dates was brought in and we ate 
as many as we could ; then, being tired after our 
long and hurried ride, I lay down on the floor, 
put my head on my saddle-bags, and was soon 
asleep. When I awoke it was nearly five 
o'clock, and the sun was getting low. I went 
outside and found some of the men I knew. 
One of them said to me, " Come, I will take 
you to the chief's house, and ask him to care 
for you." I went with him to the adjoining 
village. He was sitting outside with a lot of 




CARAVAN RESTING AFTER A JOURNEY 
This shows the camels with their heavy loads ort", after a continuous journey of thirty- 
eight hours across the desert. The heavy saddles are rarely removed. The Arabs fear 
the camels will get cold if too much air is allowed, for the beast is very susceptible to cold. 




THE CHIEF OF KAF 
This man shovved great kindness to Mr. F.jrder during his stay with him. The Arabs 
he rules over think much of him because of his bravery. Kaf, where he lives, is a twin town 
hidden in the midst of beautiful palm groves. 



I GET INTO THE DESERT 1 79 

men, but rose and came forward to greet 
me. On being told about me, he said it would 
be best if all my things were brought and put 
in his guest-room, and I might lodge there. 
He called a boy, told him to take a donkey, and 
go and bring my things over. Just then I heard 
a gun go off, and found it was the signal for the 
caravan to load up and start on its return 
journey. The men I had travelled down with 
came to bid me farewell, and persuade me to 
go back with them. " Why will you stay with 
these cursed people ? " they asked me. " They 
will surely kill you, because you are a Chris- 
tian." At last they left me, and I saw the 
caravan go away. I watched it as it slowly dis- 
appeared over the sand-hills, and was sorely 
tempted to go after it, but grace and help was 
given to overcome the temptation, and I went 
back to the chief's house. Never shall I for- 
get the feeling of loneliness that came over 
me as I made my way back to that room. 
Everybody about me strangers — not only na- 
tionally, but religiously, and, as I well knew, 
of a kind not favorable to Christians. The 
thought that I was the only Christian in the 
whole district was one that I cannot well 
describe. 



CHAPTER XVII 

A KIND CHIEF BUT UNKIND SUBJECTS 

KAF Is a large village In two sections, and 
Is divided one from the other by palm 
groves. The dwellings are built of mud bricks, 
and so arranged as to serve well for defence in 
case of attack from outside, whilst the front of 
the houses face on to a large square. In this 
square all the business done by caravans is car- 
ried on, and during the stay of one of the cara- 
vans the scene is a busy as well as a noisy one. 
Traders come from Syria, bringing with them 
wheat and barley, which they exchange for 
coarse salt. The Kafees get this salt by 
evaporating strong brine, of which there are 
numerous never failing springs quite near the 
place. Kaf has an abundant supply of water : 
some of the springs are sulphuric and quite 
warm ; these are used for medicinal purposes. 
During a large portion of the year the people 
migrate into the deserts, only returning to their 
homes In the village for the date harvest, a 

1 80 



A KIND CHIEF BUT UNKIND SUBJECTS l8l 

time equal to the grain harvest in other parts. 
The women are not secluded, neither do they 
veil their faces, but do not sit with the men. 
They have their liberty, and in this respect are 
better off than thousands in other parts of the 
Mohammedan world. 

The palm trees and extensive groves of Kaf 
pleased me immensely, and I passed many hours 
in them in company with some of the men who 
were kindly disposed toward me. On one side 
of the village is a high mountain, most of the 
stone as black as ink. On the top, which has 
been levelled, are the remains of what was once 
an extensive castle and fort. Much against the 
wishes of the people, I climbed the mountain 
and explored the ruins, but was not allowed to 
make notes or take photographs. As I passed, 
the men of Kaf gathered in groups ; the only 
word I heard was "Nisraney" — Christian — one 
of the cursed ones, the enemy of God and all 
Moslems. Not having been so exiled among 
such isolated followers of Mohammed, I was 
not quite sure what treatment I might expect 
from them. On reaching the chief's room, I 
found him and some men there. Supper was 
brought in, served up in a large iron pot. I ate 
my share, not knowing what it was, and even 
now have no notion off what I supped. All 



l82 A KIND CHIEF BUT UNKIND SUBJECTS 

I know is, that it was veiy hot, sHmy, greasy, 
and tasty, the latter making it appetizing. 

After supper we sat round the open fire on 
the hearth, and coffee-making began. The 
green berries are roasted over the fire, then 
pounded in a large wooden mortar. When 
sufficiently fine, the coffee is put in boiling 
water, and allowed to filter to the bottom of 
the pot ; then boiled up quickly for a few min- 
utes, and set aside to settle. Sometimes, if 
guests are on hand, spices are bruised and put 
in to flavor the coffee. Having stood a few 
minutes, a small quantity, say about a table- 
spoonful, is poured into a handleless cup and 
handed round, the chief tasting it first and then 
the guests. About four ounces of coffee is put 
to a pint of water. This makes a very strong 
and black beverage, and it is drunk without milk 
or sugar. A man's generosity is judged by 
the quantity of coffee he gives his guests. A 
favorite way of speaking about a good host is 
to say " the coffee-pot is never off the fire." 
Coffee is the only luxury these Arabs have; 
intoxicants have not yet reached them, and 
they have no native-made drinks that take the 
place of alcoholic liquors — long may they re- 
main in such a state ! 

Whilst coffee was proceeding, we were talk- 



A KIND CHIEF BUT UNKIND SUBJECTS 183 

ing about the possibilities of my getting farther 
into the country. Opinions were divided ; 
some thought I could go safely, others said 
there was much danger, besides hardship and 
fatigue. The chief advised my return to 
Orman, but saw no way of sending me back. 
Then a man came in and said a party of Arabs 
had arrived, that were leaving early in the morn- 
ing for Jowf, a large town some eleven days' 
journey southeast. I had intended, if my way 
was prospered, to reach this town, it being the 
largest and most important in Northern Arabia, 
and I may mention here that Kaf, the place I 
was then in, was under the government of Ibn 
Rasheed, the Sultan of Arabia, resident in 
Hayel. The chief, whose name was Moham- 
med-el- Bady, sent for the man in charge of the 
caravan. He soon came, and was told that I 
wanted to go with them to the Jowf. Would 
they provide me a camel and let me journey 
with them.f* The man at once saw I was a 
Christian, and gave his answer. " If I took a 
Christian to the Jowf, I am afraid Johar — the 
chief there — would have me killed for doing 
such a thing, so I cannot do it." 

Other men were called in, but all gave nearly 
the same answer. One said to me, " If ever you 
want to see the Jowf, you must turn Moslem, as 



1 84 A KIND CHIEF BUT UNKIND SUBJECTS 

no Christian would be allowed to live there many 
days." This was somewhat discouraging, but 
the chief told me to " keep my heart strong " 
and we would try again in the morning before 
they started. Then the matter dropped, and I 
introduced the Bible. A man present, being a 
good reader, took the Book and began to read. 
I found him the third chapter of John's gospel, 
and as he read a verse I would speak on it. I 
ofttimes get a man to read for me so that those 
listening may believe that what they hear is 
really written in the book they see. Arabs 
have said that I have made up some of the 
things that I have read to them, but one of 
their own number reading does away with that 
foolish idea. The men that were gathered in 
were most attentive to all I said. It was some- 
thing quite new to them. 

They asked me lots of questions about the 
religion and customs of the Christians, pitied 
us because we could only have one wife at a 
time and because we had no date-palms in our 
country. Before separating for the night, the 
man that had been reading for us asked me to 
give him a Bible. I told him he must buy it. 
He said he could pay for it in dates if I would 
take payment that way. I agreed: so next 
morning he brought me some dates and took 



A KIND CHIEF BUT UNKIND SUBJECTS 185 

away his book ; this led to the sale of eight or 
nine other copies, either Psalms and Luke 
bound together, or Genesis and John. I was up 
early in the morning and out with the sheikh, 
who did his best to get the men that were 
leaving to take me along with them, but they 
were firm in their refusals. So I had to see 
them load up and leave, feeling that the possi- 
bility of getting on was a very poor one. That 
day I spent in the homes and gardens of the 
people. They treated me in a kindly way, but 
it was spoilt by their continual hard sayings 
against me as a Christian. That same evening 
another party of men called in at Kaf to stay 
the night. In vain my host tried to induce 
them to take me on, but the same excuse as 
the previous night was made. I saw them 
leave next morning and wondered if ever I 
should get away. After they had gone, Mo- 
hammed, my host, came to me and said, " As 
no one will take you with them I will go with 
you to the next place, named Ithera, and per- 
haps from there you can get on to the Jowf." 
About noon he called one of his servants to 
bring in a camel and his horse, and we were to 
make a start. The things being loaded on the 
camel, I got on top, he mounted his horse, and 
we were just riding out of the gate that led 



1 86 A KIND CHIEF BUT UNKIND SUBJECTS 

into the town when we met about twelve men 
mounted on camels. They were chiefs from a 
tribe camped near by, and had come to visit 
my host. So we turned back, and I had the 
choice of waiting another few days, or being 
sent on in charge of two young men, servants 
of the chief. I chose the latter; they mounted 
the camel, and I was given the horse to ride. 
We rode off again, and about sunset saw in the 
distance the palms of Ithera, just about four 
hours' ride between the two places. I noticed 
the two men ofttimes got off the camel, and twice 
made it kneel down as if to adjust the load, but 
I found out later on that they had rifled my 
belongings and had buried them in the sand. 

When I returned, nearly three months after, 
the sheikh of Kaf handed me the things the 
two men had robbed me of. They had told 
their townspeople how they had treated me, 
and the chief, hearing of it, made them give him 
my things and gave them a good thrashing for 
their treatment of me, his late guest. 

Ithera is a much smaller place than Kaf and 
has its own chief. The population would be 
from six to eight hundred all told. The place, 
like others in Jebel Shomer, is built of mud 
brick and surrounded with palm groves. A 
good spring in the centre of the village sup- 



A KIND CHIEF BUT UNKIND SUBJECTS 187 

plies drinking water for man and beast. All 
the houses consist of one large room, many of 
them doorless and quite bare of furniture. I 
noticed and thoroughly examined a large ruin, 
now in the middle of the place ; it was built of 
large blocks of stone, roughly hewn and black 
in color. I concluded that it was at one time 
a guard-house, as there was ample accommoda- 
tion for man and beast. Some of the chambers 
in the ruin have been turned into dwellings and 
storehouses and are more substantial than the 
more modern structures. Here too I noticed 
that the women were quite free and went un- 
veiled. 

The guest-room of the chief of Ithera was 
quite near the principal entrance to the place. 
We rode up to the door of the simple room, 
and I, with my few belongings, was put down at 
the entrance. The younger of the two men 
that had come over with me from Kaf went 
into the room and shouted to all the men sit- 
ting round, " We have brought a Christian and 
stick him on to you; do what you can with 
him." In this manner I was deposited in 
Ithera, and delivered to no one In particular. 
According to custom, the chief should have 
been sought out and I handed over to him per- 
sonally. As it was, no one was responsible for 



l88 A KIND CHIEF BUT UNKIND SUBJECTS 

me. I carried my goods inside and put them 
in a corner. There was no salutation of wel- 
come, and no one made room for me. I was 
left standing just inside the doorway. It was 
a very large place, about thirty feet long and 
fifteen wide. The doorway was in one of the 
side walls. It was as usual veiy void of com- 
forts. The floor was strewn with sand, on 
which the men, about thirty in number, were 
squatting. A black man with piercing eyes 
and face like a demon sat at the coffee, pour- 
ing it out and handing it round. The chamber 
was put to two uses. The part on the right 
hand of the doorway was set apart for the 
accommodation of the men and visitors ; that 
on the left side was used as a stable, and was 
abominably dirty. There were some horses 
and camels tied up there that belonged to some 
Arabs of the Beni Sakhr tribe, that had come 
in to transact business and were to stay the 
night. As I stood in the entrance awaiting an 
invitation to join the men, I heard them specu- 
lating as to who or what I was. They no 
doubt thouQ^ht that I did not know Arabic and 
so could not understand what they were talking 
about. A man sitting near me informed the 
others that I was a Christian from Jerusalem 
and was to be shunned, because he had visited 




PHOTOQRAPH BY A. FORDER 

A TEMPORARY HOSPITAL IN THE DESERT 

To this tent the author was sent to keep company with an old man suffering from a very 
loathsome disease. The Arabs hoped Mr. Forder would catch the disease and die, and 
so they would be saved the trouble of killing him. 




photogr; - - - - 

MRS. KHY-KHAN. THE CHIEF'S WIFE 
This woman is preparing the morning im-al. Bread is baking on a hot sheet of 
Forder was kindly treated by this woman during his enforced stay in her town, 
of surprise was caused by her interest in the camera. 



iron. Mr. 
The look 



A KIND CHIEF BUT UNKIND SUBJECTS 189 

that city and had seen the Christians there — 
not Protestants — worshipping pictures and 
images. This, unfortunately, is all too true, 
and can be seen in any of the churches belong- 
ing to the Eastern sects representing Christi- 
anity. A man sitting in another part of the 
assembly differed from the first speaker, and 
volunteered . the information that " I was not a 
Christian, but one from among the Jews." But 
a third thought he knew better, and speaking 
in a loud voice said, " This is neither a Chris- 
tian or Jew, but one from among the heathen, 
an infidel, one that knows not God, nor his 
apostle Mohammed, on whom be peace." — This 
information, however, did not satisfy the whole 
company, evident by one man, who, with more 
boldness than the others, rose and said, " This 
is neither Christian, Jew, nor infidel, but a 

pig-" 

All that know anything about Mohammedans 

will know that this was the greatest insult pos- 
sible to offer any one. To call a man a dog is 
bad enough, and sufficient to cause lifelong 
enmity, but to liken one to a pig would be be- 
yond forgiveness, and possibly result in death. 
Having given vent to his ideas about me, the 
speaker left the place, maybe from fear of what 
he had said, and in came the chief man of the 



IQO A KL\D CHIEF BUT UNKIND SUBJECTS 

place. He heard the last words of the dis- 
appearing speaker, and also what I had ventured 
to say in reply to criticisms about me. I just 
said, " Men, I am neither pig, infidel, nor Jew; I 
am a Christian, one that worships God, the same 
God as you do, but not of those Christians who 
bow down to and worship pictures and images ; 
as there are four fingers on your hands, each 
one different from the other, so there are dif- 
ferent kinds of Christians." The old sheikh 
then addressed me, saying, " If you are a Chris- 
tian, go and sit among the cattle." I did as I 
was told, and went and sat on the ground be- 
tween a camel and an old white mare. 

I had not been sitting long when in came a 
man, by whose dress I knew must be a stranger. 
He soon proved it by walking over to me, put- 
ting out his hand, and shaking mine. Never in 
my life was a proffered hand more acceptable 
than that. It spoke in a very assuring way of 
sympathy, pity, and comfort. He sat down 
beside me, and then followed this short, but to 
me instructive, conversation in an undertone : — 

Stranger. — Who are you and from where 
do you come } 

Answer. — From Jerusalem. I am a Chris- 
tian, a preacher. 

Stranger. — What do you want here ? 



A KIND CHIEF BUT UNKIND SUBJECTS 19T 

Answer. — I am come to see the land, people, 
towns, villages, and have with me books for 
sale. 

Stra7tger. — If you value your life, you will 
get out of this as quickly as you can, or the 
men, who are a bad lot, will kill you. 

Question. — What kind of a man is the chief? 

Stranger. — Very kind, and has great influ- 
ence ; makes much of his guests. 

Question. — Who are you and what do you 
do here ? 

Stranger. — I am a Druze, and have the only 
shop here. I am allowed to remain because I 
pretend to be a Moslem. 

With this he got up and went away, and I 
saw him no more during my short stay there. 
I then pricked up my ears to hear what the 
men at the far end of the room were saying. I 
heard them discussing with the chief plans for 
getting rid of me ; one man offered to cut my 
throat whilst I was sleeping that night. But 
the old chief said, " I will not have the blood 
of a Christian on my house and town." An- 
other suggested that the supper that was given 
me should be poisoned ; that would save them 
killing me, as I should die in my sleep ; then I 
could be buried, and if any one from my people 
or Government came looking for me, — as they 



192 A KIND CHIEF BUT UNKIND SUBJECTS 

would, — my grave could be shown, and, if nec- 
essary, my body, but no marks would be seen to 
show that I had been done away with. To 
this, however, the chief objected, and it was 
suggested that I be driven out into the desert 
to die of hunger and thirst. It was at last 
settled that I be left until the morning, and the 
old chief said, " Lest any harm come to our 
beasts by having a Christian with them, he had 
better spend the night in the gardens under the 
palms." Then supper was brought in, and, after 
all the others had supped, I was called to eat. 
I sat down by the large round bowl, and, being 
hungry, ate and enjoyed an unknown mixture, 
conveying it to my mouth with my fingers in 
place of spoon or fork, things evidently un- 
known in those parts. Having seen the others 
partake of the same food, I knew there was no 
harm in the dish. Then I was called to follow 
the chief, and he led me out into the gardens 
quite near by. I sat down under a large palm 
tree and prepared to spend the night in the 
open. After half an hour the chief came back 
again, saying, " I fear if you stay here you will 
affect the palms in some way, and my crop of 
dates will fail this year ; come with me." He 
led off, and I followed him. It was nearly 
dark. We got outside the walls of the place, 



A KIND CHIEF BUT UNKIND SUBJECTS 193 

and he showed me a soHtary tent near by, imder 
the shadow of some old walls. " Go in there 
and stay," said he ; and I did so. Inside this 
tent I found there was an old man suffering 
from a very loathsome disease, much like lep- 
rosy; he was in a bad state, and was most 
repulsive. He told me he could no longer be 
tolerated inside the village, so had been isolated 
until death relieved him from his sad state. I 
felt if ever there had been a time that I needed 
courage and help, it was now. I had, by oft 
reading, learned by heart the 121st Psalm, and 
I laid claim to verse 7 as never before. The 
next morning I was up early, and awaited the 
events of the day. No one came near. I had no 
idea where my things were. All I had was my 
pocket Bible, and all I could read in it was the 
Psalm I have just named, viz. 121. Toward 
noon I saw a few men with the old chief, 
whose name was Khy-Khwan, crossing over in 
front of the tent. I followed them unobserved. 
They sat down and began to talk, not knowing 
I was near and listening to all they were say- 
ing. I gathered from their conversation three 
things : — 

I St. That a caravan was to be made up to 
leave for the Jowf on the following Friday — 
this was Wednesday. 



194 A KIND CHIEF BUT UNKIND SUBJECTS 

2d. That the old chief himself was to con- 
duct the caravan. 

3d. That the two parties I had seen leave 
the last town, Kaf, had both for some cause or 
other been delayed, and were to join the cara- 
van leaving on the Friday. 

These things made me glad, and I determined 
to face the chief about them. The men having 
gone away, I followed Khy-Khwan and spoke 
to him thus : " You are going to the Jowf ; will 
you take me with you ? " He gazed at me in 
wonderment. Said he, " You will never leave 
here alive, and if you did and reached the Jowf, 
you would surely be killed. This is the land 
of the Moslem ; no Christians come here ; you 
are our enemy and the enemy of God." I 
replied, " I will pay you to take me with you, 
and am ready to face the Jowf with its dan- 
gers." His answer was : " Do you know how 
far it is to the Jowf.? It is ten days' journey. 
The desert journey, the dangers from robbers, 
hunger, thirst, and fatigue will kill you." Again 
telling him I was prepared for all that and had 
no fear, I asked him, " How much do you want 
to take me — for the ten days' journey there 
and back again, provide me a camel, food, and 
water for the journey, and help me all you can 
whilst we stay in the Jowf .^^ " 



A KIND CHIEF BUT UNKIND SUBJECTS 195 

His answer was short and decided, " Two 
English pounds a day, equal to ten dollars — 
ten days going, ten returning, and a stay of 
fifteen, making thirty-five days — put me down 
seventy gold pieces, English ones, and I will 
take you." I told him it was impossible, that it 
was more money than I had ; he must ask less. 
" If you can't give it, go back to your place," 
he said ; so I returned to the isolated tent. I 
was strongly impressed that it was God's order- 
ing that I had come to Ithera just when I did. 
To find a man like Khy-Khwan just about 
starting to conduct a caravan to the Jowf was 
most providential, as was the fact that the dif- 
ferent parties I had seen leave Kaf had been 
delayed here in Ithera. I felt it was the time 
to act, so on returning to the tent I sat down 
to pray and meditate. I was led to make an 
offer of money to the chief, but not as large a 
sum as he expected. I had a few Napoleons — 
French gold pieces, value four dollars each — 
sewed into the band of my trousers, so ripping 
out four of these I went off to find the sheikh. 
I found him alone in the guest-chamber. 
Walking up to him, I held in my hand the 
money, at the same time saying, " If you will 
let me go to the Jowf with you, find me a 
camel, water, and food, I will give you these 



196 A KIND CHIEF BUT UNKIND SUBJECTS 

four gold pieces." He looked at the money 
and then at me, then said, " Give them to me 
now, and well start after to-morrow." I said, 
" No ; you come outside, and before the men of 
the place I will give them to you ; they must 
be witnesses." Had I given him the money, 
most likely he would have denied ever having 
had it. So away we went, and, in presence of 
the men of Ithera, the money was handed over 
and the bargain made. That night I was 
allowed to sleep in the guest-room, with a horse 
on one side of me and a camel on the other, 
my only fear being that the horse might tread 
on me, as I was on the floor. But I had a 
good night's rest, and on waking next morning 
found the place empty. I went out to a spring 
near by, had a wash, the first one for many 
days, then went in search of some of the men. 
I met a woman, who turned out to be Mrs. 
Khy-Khwan ; she kindly asked me to go into 
her house. I did, and she set before me a dish 
of dates, some warm bread, and a bowl of sour 
milk. Off this I made a sumptuous breakfast. 
She talked long with me and sympathized and 
pitied me because I had had to run away from 
my own land, people, and kindred, and seek 
shelter among the Arabs. " Tell me," she 
asked, " what crime you committed, or who you 




PHOTOGRAPH BY A. FORDER 

WATER SKINS FILLED, READY FOR A JOURNEY 

These skins are removed from the carcass without being cut, and after curing arc used to 
carry liquids in. The four seen above filled with water were for the use (if Mr. Forder and 
the chief tViat accompanied him for ten days across the desert. When not in use, olive oil is 
rubbed on and put into the skin to prevent it from drying and cracking, and so becoming useless. 



A KIND CHIEF BUT UNKIND SUBJECTS 1 97 

murdered, that you had to run away." I told her 
the real reason why I had come to the desert 
region of Arabia, but she, poor thing, could 
not believe that I would leave wife, children, 
home, and country, and live such a life as I was 
enduring, just to tell people about a Saviour. 
I asked about the proposed journey. She told 
me her husband went once a year, and this was 
the time. He was taking the yearly tax from 
the district that had to be paid to the chief of the 
Jowf, who would send it on to the capital 
city, Hayel. She told me the men were a 
" cursed " lot, but encouraged me by saying, " If 
you are with Khy-Khwan, no one will hurt 
you." I spoke to her about her soul, but I got 
the usual reply, " We women are no better than 
our camels or donkeys ; we have no souls ; when 
we die, there is an end of us." Then I went 
out, and in walking about saw water-skins on 
all hands being prepared for the journey. In 
a garden by a cistern there were four ready to 
be hung on the camels. I knew that the start 
would soon be made and I was not disappointed. 



CHAPTER XVIII 

TEN DAYS ON THE DESERT 

THE call to noonday prayers was heard, 
and I returned to the house. As soon as 
prayers were over a hurry and bustle began. 
A camel was driven in, and I was told to load 
up my things quickly, as the caravan was off. 
I put my belongings on the camel, jumped on 
top, and rode outside the village. There I met 
the chief, who sent a man to get me a stick to 
guide my beast with, as it had no halter or 
rope on its head. Then we started ; my load 
slipped off — so did I — because it was not tied 
on. Some men were sent to adjust and secure 
it, and I soon overtook the others. I counted 
about one hundred and twenty camels and 
about eighty men in the party. Some of them 
were especially unpleasant and rude fellows. 
They gathered round me, showing their dag- 
gers and guns, telling me over and over again 
that such things were for Christians. They 
told me I should never reach the Jowf alive ; 
they would leave my dead body on the sands. 



TEN DAYS ON THE DESERT 199 

They began extolling the religion of Islam, and 
told me I must change mine if I lived in their 
country. The start for the Jowf was not en- 
couraging from a human point of view, but in- 
wardly I felt that God was with me, and the 
arrangements I had been able to make, and for 
so small a sum of money, encouraged me to 
believe that all would be well. I did not ignore 
the fact that there were dangers, but relied on 
the promise that they should not prevail over 
me. We rode away from Ithera about one 
o'clock, and went on until sunset. Just before 
five o'clock a cry was raised, " Look behind." 
Coming after us, as hard as they could ride, 
was a party of wild Bedouins ; they were rob- 
bers. The camels were all driven up close 
together, and made to kneel down ; this was for 
protection. The old chief came to me and 
said, " Your being with us has caused us this 
trouble, and the first day out, too." He then 
told me to lie down and seek shelter between 
the camels, for he feared I should be hit by a 
bullet, as they had begun to fly about us. I did 
not care to take such an undignified position 
as was suggested, and told Khy-Khwan so. He 
said he feared I might be killed, and he very 
vehemently cursed the day that I came to him. 
Quite an exciting battle took place between the 



200 TEN DAYS ON THE DESERT 

enemy and our men, some of the latter acquit- 
ting themselves very well. I congratulated 
them afterward, and we became more friendly. 
The robbers made off, and the order was given 
to spend the night where we were. My supper 
of dates and warm, heavy bread was given me, 
after which I lay down on the sand and was 
soon asleep. The robbers appeared again after 
about two hours, but were driven off. 

Next morning we moved off at sunrise, and 
soon reached a spring of brackish water. Here 
we filled up the skins, and moved on as quickly 
as possible. We never linger around water. 
Other Arabs might come up, and, if unfriendly, 
a quarrel might ensue. Much of the fighting 
among the Bedouin and Arabs is caused by 
quarrelling over water — springs and wells 
(Gen. xxvi. 18-21). That night we drank 
all the water we had carried away from the 
spring, and hoped next day to find more. But 
we found none for five days, and consequently 
were very thirsty. The evening of the fifth 
day I induced our men to search for water, and 
they set out in all directions to do so. Pres- 
ently one was seen waving his " abba " — cloak 
— over his head, thus indicating that he had been 
successful. The camels set off at a run toward 
him ; I brought up the rear. On reaching the 



TEN DAYS ON THE DESERT 201 

spot I saw about ten of the men down on their 
knees digging in the sand, just as a dog would 
do. I asked where the water was, and received 
the answer, " Wait ; you are a town man and 
don't know the wilderness ; we are sons of the 
desert, and know how to manage." Down 
they dug — three feet, four feet, five feet, but 
no appearance of water. Then, instead of sand, 
came gravel, and soon the valuable liquid that 
we were all so anxious to have a drink of. In 
turn we were given drink. The men had pity 
on me and gave me the first draught, knowing 
I was not used to such long abstinence. The 
water was dipped up in their dirty, greasy skull- 
caps, that had never known soap and very little 
fresh air, being worn next the head, under the 
large handkerchief that serves as a covering for 
the head. It was no time to stand on cere- 
mony ; we were all too eager for a drink to 
care how it was conveyed to our mouths from 
its gravelly bed. My cup and enamelled bowl 
would have come in useful there, had they not 
been stolen by some one anxious to relieve the 
Christian of those useful additions to a very 
limited outfit. Having water, we could have 
bread for supper instead of dates. Dough was 
made, and baked in a bed of hot ashes on the 
sand. When taken from the hot coals, the 



202 TEN DAYS ON THE DESERT 

thick cake was divided between us ; sometimes, 
if the divider was not kindly disposed toward 
me, I came off badly, only getting a small piece. 
On one occasion I had only received a tiny 
share, not enough to nearly satisfy me, so re- 
membering I had in my saddle-bag the remains 
of what was given me in Orman, sixteen days 
before, I took it out, intending to eat it. It was 
musty and as hard as a stone. Knowing the 
dislike the Arab has of seeing bread thrown 
away, I determined to soak it and give it to 
my camel to eat. I did this, thinking no one 
had seen me. Next morning, bread was made 
and divided out as usual, but none was given 
to me. I did not ask for any ; that would be 
contrary to custom. So we started on another 
day. How sorry I was I had given the camel 
the hard bread ; it would have served me now 
I was so hungry. I might have damped it and 
managed to allay the hunger, but it was gone. 
Little did I think that my feeding the camel 
with these few hard pieces would result in my 
having to go hungry for the next day, but such 
was the case. Some of the men saw me soak 
the musty remains and give it to my camel, 
and they thought me wasteful. I told the old 
chief about it during the day. He said he 
thought I had been given my share, as the 



TEN DAYS ON THE DESERT 203 

usual quantity of flour had been doled out as 
hitherto. On asking the men who made the 
bread why none had been given me, the answer 
given was, " The Christian feeds his camel on 
bread, and as he is wasteful we did not give 
him any." I tried to explain, but I had com- 
mitted an offence that could not be easily over- 
looked. I learned a lesson I shall not soon 
forget. I well remember the night that fol- 
lowed that day. We put down near a wild 
palm ; water was brought from a small spring 
about half a mile away. It had been windy all 
the day, but at sunset a terrible wind from the 
northeast commenced to blow, whirling the 
sand in all directions, and so keen and sweep- 
ing was the wind that we could not even have 
a fire — it was carried in all directions. The 
chief kindly made a barricade of some of the 
sacks of wheat we were carrying, but it was of 
little use, and did not shelter us much. The 
cold made sleep impossible and I rested little, 
and was glad when the day broke. The wind 
ceased with the sunrise, but I was chilled 
through and was obliged to walk for quite two 
hours so that I might get warm. We were 
getting near our journey's end, and all were 
eager to reach the Jowf. Beyond the fatigue 
of the journey all had gone well. The attitude 



204 TEN DAYS ON THE DESERT 

of the men had changed toward me, but they 
never lost an opportunity of trying to frighten 
me because I was a Christian. We ofttimes 
saw skeletons of camels on the sand, and twice 
saw human remains. On coming across a skull 
one day, the men called my attention to it and 
tried to impress me with the fact that it was a 
Christian's skull — one that like myself had 
ventured into the land of the Moslem, but 
had perished in the desert, and his remains had 
been left as a warning to any Christians that 
came after. " Such will be your fate " was the 
comforting assurance they offered me. The 
last night we were out I made another unfor- 
givable mistake. As usual, I was up before 
daybreak, and had boiled a drop of water to 
make me a cup of beef tea before starting out. 
There was no food that morning, as we were 
nearing the end of the journey, and, on picking 
up my kettle to put into my saddle-bag, I found 
it still had a drop of water in it, not more than 
a teacupful. Here was a chance for a wash, so 
filling my hand I rinsed my face and hands, 
glad to be able to remove the top layer of dust 
and dirt. I thought no one had seen me, but 
alas, eyes were on me, and on asking for a drink 
later on I was told, " If you use water for wash- 
ing, you cannot have it for drinking." To ex- 




THE CASTLE OF THE JOWF 

This shows the chief's residence, on the outskirts of the town. The picture was taken 
after the accident that nearly killed the chief, hence only three towers appear on the walls. 
It was never known that this picture was taken, or the Arabs would have made more 
trouble than thev did. 




PHOTOGRAPH BY A. FOROER 



MARID, THE STRONGHOLD OF THE JOWF 

This castle is at the north end of the oasis of Jowf. It is very large and circular in shape. 
The Arabs believe that much treasure is hidden under the walls, and only the Christians 
know where to locate it. Once a year '.vorship is conducted by the Arabs inside this mas- 
sive ruin. 



TEN DAYS ON THE DESERT 205 

plain was useless. I had done a dreadful thing, 
and could not be forgiven. Soon after I saw 
the men empty all their water-skins out on the 
sand. And what I fain would have quenched 
my thirst with was wasted before my eyes. 
Before us in the distance could be seen the 
palms of the Jowf, and rearing itself above the 
palms was the fine old circular castle, no one 
knows how old. I was forbidden to go near it 
for various reasons. About four in the after- 
noon we entered this secluded desert-bound 
town, and were soon lodged in the spacious 
guest-room of the three sons of the chief, 
whose name was Johar — or Aboo Amber, Le, 
the father of Amber. 



CHAPTER XIX 

THE chief's plan TO CAPTURE ME FOR ISLAM 



S 



OON after sighting the old castle I saw 
men, women, and children coming out to 
meet their relatives and friends that were 
arriving from the desert journey with its dan- 
gers and fatigue. For a time all attention 
was taken off me by the greetings, salutations, 
and welcomings of the long-separated relatives. 
But soon it was discovered that a stranger was 
with the party, and for him there was no word 
of welcome. Such expressions as these were 
meant for me : " May God curse him ! " " The 
enemy of God and the Prophet, may we be 
delivered from him ! " " Infidel, Unclean ! " and 
such like were hurled at me by all classes, 
especially the women and children. I was 
much interested in the old mud towers that 
I saw on all hands as I entered the Jowf from 
the north. I found out afterward that they 
were for the purpose of defence. It was im- 
possible to get any pictures of them because of 

206 



THE CHIEF'S PLAN TO CAPTURE ME 207 

the constant eyes on me. We rode along the 
side of this beautiful oasis in the desert. The 
beauty and prosperous condition of the thou- 
sands of palms impressed me. The Jowf as a 
town is about two miles long, and, on an aver- 
age, a quarter of a mile wide. The houses, 
many of them, are hidden away in the palms, 
and so give one the impression at first sight 
that the place is thinly populated. I learned 
from the chief, later on, that there were about 
forty thousand inhabitants in the Jowf, all told. 
The buildings, except the castle, are all of mud 
and sand brick, dried in the sun ; some of the 
houses have three stories, built, of course, in a 
very primitive style. The roofs are all flat, 
protected by a wall about waist high. The 
women, there secluded, frequent these roofs, as 
they are free from all observation. The interior 
of the houses are as bare as possible, the hand- 
mill, coffee-pounder, and an old rug or two 
being about all that is visible. Most of the 
houses are doorless, owing to the scarcity of 
wood. The people live mostly out of doors, 
in the hottest months seeking the shade of the 
palm groves and gardens, and in the cooler 
months basking in the sun on the sand. Rain 
is scarce in the Jowf ; they told me three falls a 
year were about all they had. The water 



208 THE CHIEFS PLAN TO CAPTURE ME 

supply is good, drawn up by camels from 
springs deep down in the earth. There are 
some warm, sulphurous springs there, used by 
the people for ablution purposes. I saw no 
shops in the town, and on asking how the 
people got the necessities of life, such as cloth- 
ing, cooking utensils, coffee, etc., they told me 
they relied on caravans that came from Mecca, 
Bagdad, or Damascus. 

The men make their own "abbas" — cloaks 
— on rude looms, also a few for sale. I got a 
very good one for about three and a half dol- 
lars. The abbas of the Jowf are much valued 
and sought after in Palestine and Syria. I 
also saw men making "mereers," the double 
rope that they wear on their heads, and was 
intensely interested in the simple, yet neat, way 
they did it. Saddle-bags and carpets are also 
included in the industries of the Jowf. The 
staple food of the place is dates and " temmin," 
the latter a cereal inferior to rice. Bread is a 
luxury and is only eaten by the head men of 
the place, and that not every day, A kind of 
bread is made from flour, ground from a small 
seed almost as fine as sand and dark red in 
color. The name of the seed is "semmah," 
and the taste of the finished article abominable. 
The people are fortunate in having a good 



THE CHIEF'S PLAN TO CAPTURE ME 20g 

supply of fruit. Besides the many varieties 
of dates, they told me they had grapes, apricots, 
plums, citron, melons, tomatoes, cucumbers, 
beans, pumpkins, and other things not known to 
me in English. Like all Eastern towns, there 
were no sanitary arrangements. The only 
beverage of the Jowfees is coffee ; intoxicants 
there are none — long may it be so ! Many of 
the men smoke, not all. I was agreeably sur- 
prised to find so many of the men and boys 
able to read intelligently, and also to see that 
many of them possessed watches. The igno- 
rance of outside affairs surprised me. Absence 
of posts, telegrams, newspapers, and railways 
keeps them isolated. Truly Ishmael dwells 
alone (Jer. xlix. 31). The government of the 
Jowf, as also Ithera and Kaf, is in the hands 
of Abdul- Azeez-Ibn Rasheed, who resides at 
Hayel, a city six days' journey from the Jowf. 
He is represented in the Jowf by a very in- 
fluential old man named Johar, whose fame I 
had heard some years before. Just, liberal, 
open-hearted, and firm, he is feared and re- 
spected by all that know him or have anything 
to do with him. He is also responsible for the 
taxes and good behavior of a town six hours east 
of the Jowf named Sakaka; report said it was 
as large and flourishing a place as the Jowf, 



210 THE CHIEF'S PLAN TO CAPTURE ME 

Time and circumstances did not allow me to 
pay a visit to this unknown place, much as I 
should have liked to do so. 

Having introduced the reader in this brief way 
to the Jowf and its people, I will return to my 
story. A sharp bend in the road revealed the 
imposing castle of Johar with its four lofty towers 
on the corners of the outside wall. Our com- 
pany had gone into all directions, and I was 
riding behind Khy-Khw^an. He pointed out the 
castle to me and told me it was the residence of 
Johar, the chief. He rode on, I following, until 
we reached a large square with many men sitting 
about in the sun. Near by was a large house. 
We dismounted ; many were the greetings for 
my conductor, but none for me. Then we 
were invited inside and were asked to be 
seated. I was the object of attention, every- 
body asking the same question, " What does he 
want here ? he is a Christian." I kept quiet, and 
left Khy-Khwan to answer all questions, which 
he did in his own way, not always telling the 
truth, however. As it was " Rumathan " — the 
month observed by Moslems for fasting by day 
and feasting by night — no coffee was made or 
food brought. We had not been sitting long 
when a man came in to say Johar had heard of 
our arrival and was coming to see us. In a few 



THE CHIEFS PLAN TO CAPTURE ME 21 1 

minutes he appeared, accompanied by six or 
eight of his attendants and a short, thick-set 
negro, clad in many and various-colored gar- 
ments and carrying a heavy whip in his hand. 
We all rose to receive him, and he was given the 
seat of honor at the far end of the large room. 
He invited Khy-Khwan to sit on his right and 
me on his left hand. Salutations were ex- 
changed and a few questions asked, and then 
Johar turned to me, "You are a Christian, eh.?" 

"Yes." 

" What brings you here ? " 

" To see the Jowf and its people, also to sell 
God's Word to any that will buy." 

" Are you not afraid of the people, or myself ? " 

" No ; I believe God will keep me, and I 
believe that under your protection no harm will 
come to me." 

" Have you heard about me before ? " 

" Yes, in Kerak. I ofttimes heard of you from 
the Bedouin that came in to buy grain. Your 
name is sweet everywhere, and I am glad to be 
in the Jowf and under your protection." 

" I fear you will get killed if you go about 
here alone. The people are haters of Chris- 
tians, and may harm you." 

" I will be careful and not go far away from 
the houses," I replied. 



212 THE CHIEF'S PLAN TO CAPTURE ME 

He then ordered a man to go and bring a 
tray of the best dates for me, saying to me : 
" We are fasting and dare not eat. You must 
be hungry ; don't be ashamed ; ' kool wahud ala 
deenoo' — every one to his religion. Eat," for 
the dates were before me, enough for twenty 
men to feed off. 

I hesitated, not Hking to eat alone, knowing 
that every one else was fasting. " I can wait 
until sunset," I said. " Like you, like me." 

But he insisted, and I ate a few of the dates, 
and whilst thus engaged he rose and went out, 
followed by his eldest son, named Faleh, and his 
attendants. Soon I was called outside, and was 
addressed by Faleh, who, here I must say, was 
a very nice, kind-hearted young man of about 
twenty-five. " My father says you must not be 
allowed to remain in the guest-room with the 
men. Being a Christian, you will defile them ; 
you are unclean ; you are to have a small place 
near by where you must sleep and sit. He will 
also send three men that will be with you when 
you go outside — one of them will always be 
with you in your room." He showed me a 
small place adjoining the guest-room. It was 
about twelve feet deep, four feet wide, and 
seven feet high, entered by a rude doorway 
about four feet high; it had a door without 




PHOTOGRAP.. _ . ... . ^.. 

ARABS OF NORTHERN ARABIA 

These three nien, residents of the town of Jowf in North Arabia, were my guardians during 
rtiy stay in that extensive oasis. In reaUty they were set over me to take note of all I did 
and report to the chief. The one on the left-hand side roused the fanaticism of the Arabs 
after the castle had fallen in and injured the chief. 



THE CHIEF'S PLAN TO CAPTURE ME 213 

any fastening on it to secure me from intruders 
by day or night. The floor on which I had to 
lay was made of large stones set edgeways in 
mud. No air or light could enter except by 
the door, and that entrance was darkened by a 
flight of steps that led to an upper chamber, 
which was the sleeping apartment of the young- 
est son. My belongings were carried in and 
put down anyhow. The place was filthy, hav- 
ing been used as a stable and general rubbish- 
room. I was grateful for this separate place; 
although not all that could be desired, I had 
some privacy, and was enabled to pray and 
meditate without a crowd of curious spectators, 
and I also had my nights to myself, and was 
thus saved the unpleasant task every night 
and morning of looking through my clothes 
in search of sundry irritating and undesirable 
creatures that abound in Arabdom and quickly 
transfer themselves from man to man, encour- 
aged no doubt by the prospect of something 
fresh in the way of drink and food. I got my 
share of visitors in spite of my semi-seclusion ; 
I was invited to supper in the guest-room, and 
did my best to empty the dish, having been with- 
out food for nearly twenty-four hours. In spite 
of Johar's orders, I was invited to join the men 
round the fire and partake of coffee with them. 



214 THE CHIEF'S PLAN TO CAPTURE ME 

Next morning I was up early, and spent a 
time at a warm spring, washing my clothes. 
The sight of soap induced others to join me, to 
take the opportunity of using soap on their 
hands and heads; so my soap quickly vanished. 
After a breakfast of dates from a large trayful 
that had been put in my small room so that I 
could eat when I liked, I thought I would go 
over and see Johar at his castle. There were 
no men about the premises, and I could not 
find any women. So off I started, and in about 
fifteen minutes reached the outer wall of the 
castle. I walked round it to find the entrance, 
when suddenly, on the south side, I came upon 
Johar holding his daily Court of Inquiry. He 
was mounted on a dais about three feet high, 
with his scribe at his side. Before him in a 
semicircle sat scores of men, listening to the 
various cases presented to him to give judg- 
ment about. On seeing me, he beckoned me 
to him, and asked me to sit by his side. He 
finished the case he had in hand, and then 
turned to me : — 

" Did you come over here alone } " 

" Yes." 

" Were you not afraid ? " 

" No." 

" Have you no fear of any one } " 



THE CHIEFS PLAN TO CAPTURE ME 21 5 

"Yes, I fear God and the devil" — a com- 
mon saying among them. 

" Do you not fear me ? " 

" No." 

" But I could cut your head off." 

" Yes, I know you could ; but you wouldn't 
treat a guest thus." 

" No," he said, " I wouldn't ; but I would Khy- 
Khwan, — turning to him, — if he were not such 
an old friend of mine, for bringing you down 
here with him." 

Then, calling one of my neglectful attend- 
ants, he told him to return with me to the 
house, have bread made for me, and see that I 
was never hungry, " and don't let him go out 
alone," he bawled out as we departed. 

I passed a few hours quietly with my com^ 
panion, reading and writing in my diary, — 
afterward I was strictly forbidden to write, — 
when we were told that Johar was coming. 
Soon he arrived, and a crowd with him. The 
large hall was filled with men, and I was called 
in before him. He asked me a few things 
about our country and religion, and I answered 
him. Then he said he wanted to see God's 
Book. So I went and brought in a large Ara- 
bic Bible, bound in morocco, with gilt orna- 
mentation. I had brought this book for him, 



2l6 THE CHIEFS PLAN TO CAPTURE ME 

but did not want to force it on him. We un- 
covered it, and he took it, kissed it, and ex- 
amined it from outside, and concluded it was 
a nice book. Then he opened it, put on some 
ancient spectacles, and commenced to read. 
Opening at Genesis, he read the whole of chap- 
ter xxiv, shut up the book, and asked me to give 
it to him. "You must buy it," I said; "it is 
worth an English pound, i.e. five dollars. I 
will sell it you for half." He said, " Leave 
it till to-morrow." Then he said, " Christian, I 
want to speak to you." I said, " Good ; speak 
on." Said he, " You are come into the land 
of the Moslem, the believers in Mohammed, 
the prophet of God ; here are no Christians ; 
we don't allow them to stay here; we are taught 
by our religion to kill all such. I must ask you 
to give up your religion and become as one of 
us. What do you answer ? " 

Here was a strait place to be in. I remem- 
bered that to displease Johar might cause seri- 
ous times for me; also, that hundreds of miles 
of desert lay between me and any Christian, 
and I could tell that the whole thing had been 
arranged. 

Johar went on to say : " I praise God that 
through my influence six Christians that came 
here at different times have become Moslem, 



THE CHIEF'S PLAN TO CAPTURE ME 21/ 

and one Jew also. There is a man living here 
in Jowf that was formerly a Christian, but has 
resigned himself to God and the true religion. 
[This latter was true, for I met the man ofttimes 
after, although he was ashamed to speak to me.] 
Repeat the witness, ' There is no God but God, 
and Mohammed is His Prophet,' and at once 
you will become one of the faithful, and be 
acceptable to God and His people." They were 
all awaiting my answer. With a short, silent 
prayer to God for words to speak, I replied, 
" Chief Johar, I would ask you two questions 
and hear your answers." "Good," he said; 
" speak." " First, if you were in the land of 
the Christians, guest of the Queen [I did 
not know she was dead], and she asked you 
to become a Christian and give up your own 
religion, would you do it ? " " No, not if she 
had my head cut off," he replied. " Secondly, 
which do you think it best to do, to please God 
or please man .? " " To please God," was the 
ready reply he gave. Then I said, " Johar, I 
am just like you : I cannot change my religion, 
not if you cut off two heads, if I had them, and 
I must please God by remaining a Christian. 
If I repeated ' the witness,' you would all be 
pleased, but it would only be from here (touch- 
ing my lips); my heart would still remain 



2l8 THE CHIEF'S PLAN TO CAPTURE ME 

Christian, and so by pleasing you I should 
grieve God by becoming a liar and deceiver. 
I cannot do what you ask me ; it is impossible." 
He rose and went out, much displeased. I was 
glad to get away to my room. Here was an 
attack on the soul, not the bod3^ and the verse 
in my Psalm came home forcibly to me : " He 
shall preserve thy soul." The men came to me 
frequently that evening and told me how fool- 
ish I had been not to do as Johar had asked 
me. 

" To-morrow is our great feast day, and your 
conversion would have made it a great time of 
rejoicing," they said. 

I was glad when night came, so as to be 
alone, and I prayed earnestly for guidance and 
help for the coming day, then lay down on the 
stones to sleep, body and mind not in the most 
perfect state of rest. Next morning, just after 
daybreak, I was aroused by two men, fully 
armed, pushing open the door, coming in, and 
shouting, " Christian, get up ; Johar has sent us 
for you ; come quickly to the castle." " What 
does he want," I asked, " and where is your 
authority ? " " We don't know ; here are our 
swords, showing we are on duty." 

I quickly dressed, all the time wondering 
what was going to happen, for I had made up 



THE CHIEF'S PLAN TO CAPTURE ME 219 

my mind to keep quiet and not expose myself, 
because the people would be so excited keeping 
feast, and my presence might have excited them 
more and caused me harm. I followed the men 
over to the castle and saw crowds of people going 
toward it from all directions. On reaching the 
same spot as I had before, I saw Johar mounted 
on his elevated seat, clad in garments of many 
colors. He was all smiles and greeted me 
heartily. I gave him the usual salutations and 
the special ones customary on high days and 
festal occasions. He was pleased, but surprised 
that I could do this. He bade me sit by him. 
There were hundreds of men and boys sitting 
in the sun on the sand in front of him. 

Said he : " To-day is a great feast with us, 
and we have been to the old castle and had 
prayers and service; why did you not come and 
' furrage ' [t.e. to quiz in a curious way] us at 
our prayers and see all that we did ? " I replied, 
" We do not think that people should go to 
prayers just for the sake of quizzing what others 
do ; prayers to us are sacred, and we like to be 
quiet and alone, and I thought you would not 
like me to come and watch you." The answer 
pleased him, and he patted me on the back, say- 
ing, " You are better people than we are, if only 
you would accept the Prophet as we do." Then 



220 THE CHIEF'S PLAN TO CAPTURE ME 

he told his servants to bring out the things pre- 
pared for breaking their fast 

The great castle door with its iron plates on 
it were opened, and inside I saw a rusty old 
cannon. In a few minutes several men appeared, 
C3.Trying on a carpet a circular dish about four 
feet in diameter, filled with meat and " temmin," 
— a cereal inferior to rice, — strongly flavored 
with curry and cayenne and soaked in liquid 
grease. This was placed in front of Johar and 
myself. Nine other dishes followed and were 
placed round in a circle. Then Johar told me 
to sit down on the sand, as he already had done, 
which I did. He called Khy-Khwan and one or 
two others. Then saying in a loud voice, " Bis- 
millah ! " — In the name of God, — he told all to 
eat, and the men began to feast. The meat — 
camel's flesh — was in large lumps, but was 
soon torn into fragments and devoured. The 
quantity consumed by one man was astonish- 
ing. Johar was very attentive to me and kept 
putting into my hand lumps of meat, and espe- 
cially fat, the daintiest part, that he had pulled 
off the lump in the midst of the bowl. " Eat, 
Christian; enjoy yourself; don't be ashamed," 
he said The sight was sufficient, but I had to 
eat. I was glad when Johar got up and went 
back to his seat. I quickly followed. We 



THE CHIEF'S PLAN TO CAPTURE ME 221 

watched the crowd pushing and grabbing to 
get their share of the provision. I shall never 
forget that sight. How I wished I could have 
taken some pictures of it, but it was impossible. 
Said Johar, " See the savages, like dogs ; do 
you thus in your land, Christian .? " I said " No," 
and he laughed. 

After the dishes had been emptied and well 
cleaned they were taken back into the castle, 
and the assembly broke up. I then went in- 
side the castle and had coffee with the sheikh. 
Johar then called one of my attendants and 
told him to go back with me to my room and 
stay with me, lest any one should harm me. So 
we went back. I learned that three camels and 
four loads of temmin had been cooked at Johar's 
expense for the feast. He did this every year. 
We stayed indoors for an hour or so, and then 
I said I would like to go into the palm groves 
and gardens and spend a time. The people, all 
being taken up in visiting one another to ex- 
change greetings, had no thought for me, so I 
slipped away alone, and in the quiet time made 
use of my camera. Late in the afternoon Johar 
came again. I was out in the groves when a 
man came to call me. I hurried back and found 
the large guest-room full of men. I was invited 
to sit by Johar. All were very silent. Then 



222 THE CHIEF'S PLAN TO CAPTURE ME 

Johar addressed me. " Christian, what I asked 
you yesterday was a hard thing, and I think there 
must be things that make it difficult for you to 
become a Moslem, but I will help you. Are 
you married } " 

" Yes.'- 

" Have children ? " 

" Yes, three." 

" Have you money } " 

" No." 

" Do you trade, or keep a shop? " 

" No. God sends me what I need." 

" Well, listen : If you will become Moslem, I 
will give you four wives instead of the one you 
have, and you will soon have more than three 
children. I will also give you camels, palms, 
and money, so that you can trade and soon 
become rich. We will give you a house and 
all you need if you will become a Moslem like 
we are." 

I thanked him for his kind offer, but told him 
I could not change my religion for all he might 
offer to give me. 

He got up quickly and went away to his 
castle, murmuring " that it was a cursed day 
when I came among them, and that if I stayed 
in the Jowf, some harm would befall them." 

That evening he sent Faleh, his son, to me. 



THE CHIEFS PLAN TO CAPTURE ME 223 

requesting that I give him the Bible he had 
seen. So I sent it to him. 

Next morning early, two men came to me with 
this message, " Johar has sent us to tell you 
that you must leave the Jowf at once; you 
must not stay here ; you will do some harm if 
you remain." 

My answer was, " Respects to Johar. Tell 
him I can't leave the Jowf alone ; I have no 
one to go with. When Khy-Khwan returns, I 
will go with him; I have paid him for the 
return, so cannot go with any one else." They 
went off and told him, and soon returned, say- 
ing, " Johar says you must leave at once ; you 
cannot stay here." I said, "You go and tell 
Johar if he wants me to leave this place at once, 
he must send a camel and some men that will 
go with me to Ithera, where I came from. If 
he won't do that, I must wait till our party 
returns." Soon they were back again with this 
message, " Johar says you may stay, but must 
not leave your room. If the Sultan at the 
capital hears you have been here doing as you 
like, he might punish Johar for allowing you 
to remain." This was a relief to me, but I felt 
I must be careful. 



CHAPTER XX 

A CALAMITY THAT NEARLY COST ME MY LIFE 

A FEW days after the events recorded in 
the last chapter, as I sat by the fire in 
the guest-room with about twenty men, the 
head man of the community, a sort of priest 
and a fanatic, came in and launched into a 
sermon full of hatred against the Christian 
religion. He repeated all that the Koran had 
to say against Christians, and reminded the 
listeners that the words of their prophet com- 
manded the faithful to exterminate the unbe- 
lievers whenever they came across them. The 
whole thing was directed against me, but I 
took no notice of it. The preacher went away, 
and I went to my dark corner and prayed for 
help and guidance. 

Early next morning kind-hearted Faleh came 
to me and said, " Don't fear, Aboo Jerius [my 
name among the Arabs, meaning " Father of 
George," the name of my eldest son], no harm 
shall come to you if I can help it. Don't 
make the people angry; some like you, but 

224 




PHOTOGRAPH BY A. FORDER 



CROSSING THE DESERT 

This picture was taken from a camel's back as the author rode along. It shows a caravan 
on the desert At any sign of danger, the camels are brought together and made to kneel 
down. The Arabs find their way across these trackless plains by watching the sun and 
stars. 




GATHERING SALT IN THE DESERT 

In northern Arabia there are many brine springs. From these the Arabs get quantities 
of good crystal salt, which they barter to traders for wheat, clothmg and sometimes money. 
Two sacks of salt, a camel load, is worth about thirty cents. 



A CALAMITY NEARLY COST ME MY LIFE 225 

some that are ignorant hate you." That day, 
as on previous ones, I sold and distributed 
many Scriptures to both men and boys, all 
having proved to me that they could read. In 
the afternoon Faleh came to me with three 
men that he said were from Hayel, the capital. 
They were just starting back, but each wanted 
a Bible to take with them. Would I give 
them one each ? I was glad of this opportunity 
of getting the Word taken on to Hayel, espe- 
cially as I could not reach it myself, so, bring- 
ing out three nicely bound copies, I gave them 
to the men, and they left me and started for 
the seat of government in Central Arabia. 
Some day we may hear what was done or 
caused by these three books taken into this 
stronghold of Islam. 

That afternoon, late, I was alone in my room, 
when a most unfortunate affair happened that 
nearly cost me my life, and that more than 
ever set the majority of the Arabs in the Jowf 
against the Christian. 

I have already stated that Johar, the chief, 
resided in a castle a little distance off the Jowf 
at the south end. This castle, made of mud, 
bricks, and stones, had three walls, and on each 
corner of the outside wall rose a lofty tower 
about forty feet high. The apartments of 



226 A CALAMITY NEARLY COST ME MY LIFE 

Johar were in the centre of these walls. These 
towers were for the purpose of defence. 

The morning of the day I am writing about 
there had been rain and a strong wind blow- 
ing from the east. The rain had thoroughly 
soaked the exposed side of one of the towers, 
and, being only mud brick, had softened it to 
such an extent that it fell. Unfortunately it 
fell in and not out, and, to make matters worse, 
crushed the apartment in which Johar was 
sitting reading the Koran, and the much re- 
vered and feared governor of the Jowf was 
buried under the accumulation of rubbish. 

Sitting alone in my room, I heard shrieking 
and shouting outside. I went to the outer 
gate and saw men and boys running toward 
the castle, and I wondered what had happened 
to cause such excitement in the Jowf. I soon 
learned what had happened, but thought best 
to stay where I was. Johar was, after a time, 
rescued and dragged out from the debris. It 
was soon found that a leg was broken, and that 
he was cut and bruised badly. As he lay on 
the sand of the courtyard of his castle some 
one remarked, " This is the Christian's doing ; 
he must have been out and looked at the tower 
and affected it so that it has fallen ; it is the 
beginning of evil." This was like a spark to 



A CALAMITY NEARLY COST ME MY LIFE 22/ 

a keg of gunpowder. It was quickly agreed 
to be my doing, and the cry was raised, " Let 
us kill the Christian." As I stood at the gate 
of the court I saw the crowd come round the 
corner, and heard the yell, " Kill him, kill him, 
the Christian, the Christian ! " They had clubs 
and daggers and some revolvers. On they 
came, nearer and nearer. I did not run away ; 
to have done so might have meant death, and 
would have appeared as if I had done some- 
thing. When they got within about eighty 
yards of me. Providence interposed. Three 
men came from behind and ranged themselves 
in front of me, crying out, with their revolvers 
in their hands, " Not one of you come near this 
Christian." The crowd stopped, and I was 
slowly backed into my room, the three men 
remaining at the door. The crowd soon 
melted away, and my deliverers came in to me. 
I thanked them for their kind and ready help 
and asked what led them to act as they did. 
Their answer was a good one. " We have 
been to India and have seen Christians there, 
and know that they work harm to no man ; we 
have also seen the effect of the English rule 
in that land and in Egypt, and we will always 
help Christians when we can; we wish the 
English would come here; Christians are 



228 A CALAMITY NEARLY COST ME MY LIFE 

better than Moslems. These people of the 
Jowf are ignorant of the ways of Christians 
and would have killed you if we had not come 
along and defended you." Then my host and 
kind friend, Faleh, came, broken down and cry- 
ing because of the accident to his father. He 
said, " Don't fear, Aboo Jerius, I know this is 
not your doing; it was decreed, and had to 
happen ; I hope my father won't die." Then 
in came the other two sons and sat with me, 
and I did my best to comfort them. Next day 
I kept in or near the house. Faleh said it 
would be better. My old chief, Khy-Khwan, 
was missing. I had not seen him for two days 
and wondered what had become of him. 
Toward evening a man came to me saying, 
" Khy-Khwan has sent me to bring you to him ; 
he is in a house at the other end of the town ; " 
so, believing him, I got up and followed him. 
It was quite half an hour's walk to the house 
I was taken to, but no Khy-Khwan was there. 
I asked for him and was told he would come at 
sunset. 

But the sun set, and he did not come. I said 
I would return to my room, as by the actions 
and bearing of the men about me I suspected 
mischief. Some dates were brought and I was 
told to eat. *' We will have supper later on," 



A CALAMITY NEARLY COST ME MY LIFE 229 

they told me. I ate a few dates and made as 
though I would return, but it was dark and the 
men would not let me go. I insisted on going 
to Khy-Khwan or him coming to me, but was 
made to sit down again. About ten a dish of 
food was brought in and put before me and I 
was told to eat. I do not know what it was. 
I tasted it, but did not like it, so refused to eat 
any more, and as none of the others were asked 
to eat I suspected it was poisoned. At last it 
was carried out untouched, and they asked if I 
would sleep. I said " No." I guessed they 
meant mischief, and had enticed me away there 
by saying my travelling chief wanted me. All 
that night I sat up. Many times they begged 
me to lie down and sleep, but I refused. At 
last the morning came, and as I was preparing 
to leave these men, I was glad to see appear at 
the door the best disposed of my three attend- 
ants. He said, " I only missed you this morn- 
ing and set out to find you ; you must not go 
off alone like this." When I got back, there 
was Khy-Khwan sitting at the fire. He said he 
had never sent for me ; so it was a trap to get 
me alone and do me harm, but it failed. We 
had been now many days in the Jowf, and I 
had disposed of a number of Scriptures. One 
morning, on opening the door of my room, I 



230 A CALAMITY NEARLY COST ME MY LIFE 

found most of them piled up in a heap, having 
been returned during the night. I put them 
inside, knowing that if I kept quiet, I should 
find out why they had been brought back. 
Soon Faleh came to me, saying, " You must not 
be angry at the books being returned ; my 
father gave orders that the people must return 
them ; he says there is something bad in them." 
I asked him what it was. He told me it was in 
the 2d Psalm, verse 7, " Thou art My Son, 
this day have I begotten Thee." I said, " Many 
others will be glad to have these books, but 
why has not your father sent back his book? " 
"He wants to keep and read it," was the answer 
I was glad to hear. That day Khy-Khwan told 
me we must leave soon. " I wanted to stay a 
month, but for your sake we must get away 
soon," he said. Next day the people came 
back and asked for their books. I reminded 
them of what Johar had said. Their answer 
was, " We have done as we were told and 
returned the books ; we were not ordered not to 
take them a second time. Give them back to 
us, and we will hide them until you are gone 
away." So I gave them the books again and 
heard no more of them. That afternoon I 
went to the castle to say good-by to Johar, as 
we were to leave early next day. I was kept 



A CALAMITY NEARLY COST ME MY LIFE 23 1 

at the castle door whilst word was given him I 
was there. I was allowed inside and saw the 
old man lying on a bed on the mud floor in 
one corner of a large room. 

Many men were sitting with him. I was not 
permitted to go near him, so from the doorway 
said, " I am journeying to-morrow and came to 
say farewell ; thank you for your kindness ; may 
God grant you peace and soon restore you and 
your leg." Then a hand was put on my arm, 
and I was led away outside the castle. Thus 
ended my intercourse with Johar, aboo Amber, 
the much respected and feared chief over the 
town and district of the Jowf. I have heard no 
more of him from that time up to the present. 
Maybe some time in the future I shall return to 
those parts ; past experiences encourage me to 
do so, believing that on a second visit I should 
fare better. That night I had gone to rest and 
was asleep when I was aroused by men shouting 
outside the door. I got up, and upon opening 
the door found two men, and by the light of a 
tiny lamp they had I saw that between them 
they were bearing something in a sack. They 
pushed their way in and deposited their burden 
on the floor, saying, " Faleh has sent you these 
dates to eat on the journey. He may not see 
you in the morning, so he sends ' salaams ' 



232 A CALAMITY NEARLY COST ME MY LIFE 

[respects] and wishes you a safe journey." 
They emptied the dates, about two bushels, 
into my largest saddle-bags, and then produced 
a good-sized skin of dates, saying, " These are 
from Faleh also ; they are for your wife and 
children in Jerusalem ; you must carry them to 
them with many ' salaams.' " 

Next morning I was up early and saw that 
preparations were being made for a start, but 
ere we set out my companion Khy-Khwan and 
myself had six invitations to breakfast, which 
we accepted, eating a little at each house. On 
returning to our lodging, the camels were at the 
door ready loaded. Faleh was on hand, and 
with him a bag of warm bread, which he gave 
me, saying, " It will serve you a few days, and 
help you over the desert." 

Farewells were exchanged, and with mingled 
feelings of joy and regret we rode off. Faleh 
was very kind to me all the time I was there. 
Every morning about ten o'clock he would come 
or send for me and take me on to the roof, 
three stories up, and give me a good breakfast 
of bread, date syrup, native butter, and milk. 
This was the best fare the Jowf could produce. 
" Eat and enjoy it ; we don't give such to or- 
dinary guests ; you are my friend, hence bread," 
was always his set speech. He would sit and 




A DATE PALM WITH FRUIT RIPE UNTO HARVEST 
The date is to the Arab what bread is to the European. There are many varieties and 
sizes. The bunches hanginj^ on the pahn shown above would make a heavy load for a 
man to carry. No part of the palm-tree is wasted; ropes, mats, baskets and boards 
are produced from it. Even the date stones are utilized. After soaking they become 
soft and make good feed for the cattle. 



A CALAMITY NEARLY COST ME MY LIFE 233 

eat with me, not being afraid to put his hand 
in the same dish as the Christian. He told me 
he had been twice to Mecca, and I observed 
he was most careful to remember the times of 
prayer. 

Arriving at the north extremity of the town, 
the caravan was waiting for us. Khy-Khwan 
got down, kissed the men all round, and then 
gave the word to start. With ejaculations to 
Allah, — God, — Abraham, and Mohammed to 
prosper and protect them, we said farewell to 
the Jowf and its fertile gardens and shady palm 
groves. 



CHAPTER XXI 

EXCITING TIMES IN DESERT AND TOWN 

FOR four days we journeyed over the desert 
without finding water. We had expected 
to find surface water, but were disappointed. 
Two hours after sunset on the fourth day water 
was found in a large basin in some rocks that 
we had come amongst. It was dirty and strong, 
caused by camels having bathed and stood in 
it during the day, and ere we could fill our 
skins our camels pushed their way in, stirring 
up the sediment and adding to the filth. We 
were thankful for the find and drank freely, 
also using it for making bread. 

The next day, whilst on the move, my camel 
dropped down under me and refused to get up 
again. I called some of the men, and they, 
seeing tears streaming from the beast's eyes, 
informed me, " Your camel is drunk — cannot 
walk because it is giddy." It had been eating 
some herb that had made it so. They called 
for water, damped some grass, and tied it on 

234 



EXCITING TIMES IN DESERT AND TOWN 235 

the beast's head, then set about making a syrup 
of some dates, mixing in salt and flour. Hav- 
ing prepared this draught, the camel's mouth 
was held open and the mixture poured down its 
throat. In about half an hour the tears ceased 
flowing, and the now sober beast got up and 
went on with the others. That night we found 
a pool of water, worse than the other, and 
camped not far from it. Next day we had a 
fright by seeing a man in the distance coming 
toward us. Some of our men went off to meet 
him, not knowing if he were the scout of friend 
or foe. They brought the poor fellow in with 
them. He could not speak. He signed for 
a drink, which was given him. Then he told us 
that he was one of nine that had started out 
over the desert with their camels, well provided 
with food and water, but they had been met by 
robbers who had taken everything from them, 
and for eight days they had been without food 
or drink. His companions were lying helpless 
on the sand some distance off. They had seen 
us in the distance, and he being the strongest 
had come after us. A skin of water, some flour, 
and dates were given him, and we left him re- 
joicing in his good fate. 

That evening, as we camped in a valley full 
of brushwood and stones, we had another alarm, 



236 EXCITING TIMES IN DESERT AND TOWN 

which, happily, ended peaceably. The men 
were seated round the fires when the word was 
passed round that voices had been heard com- 
ing up the valley. All were silent, and, sure 
enough, on the still night we could distinctly 
hear the sound of men talking. Those of our 
party that had arms got ready for an attack. 
The fires were quickly douted by sand being 
thrown over them. We were ready for what- 
ever might come. As no one came down on 
us our men went out to find out who was 
about. Soon we heard the report of the guns 
and guessed that the sound of voices had come 
from enemies. But following the firing of the 
guns came the welcome shout: "Friends! 
friends ! " In about ten minutes our men re- 
turned, bringing with them twelve of the 
wildest-looking fellows it was possible to come 
across. 

One look at them was sufficient to tell that 
they had suffered privation and fatigue. The 
fires were relighted, and conversation began 
again. Coffee was given the newcomers ; then 
they told their story, which in brief was as 
follows : They had set out from the Jowf two 
weeks before, intending to get to Damascus 
and find work. They had no camels, but suf- 
ficient food to last if all went well, and skins 



EXCITING TIMES IN DESERT AND TOWN 237 

to carry water if they found it, as they supposed 
they would. The skins they had with them 
were hard and cracked, proving their long fast 
from drink. 

Not knowing the way any too well, they got 
off the track and were lost in the desert. Food 
and drink were finished. For five days they 
had been wandering about hungry, thirsty, and 
weary. That day they came across the foot- 
prints of our camels and men, had followed them, 
and so overtaken us as we were camped. Bread 
was made for them, and, whilst baking, I took 
them a good lump of my dates, for which they 
were grateful. Next morning they journeyed on 
with us, and the next day, the noon of the tenth 
since leaving the Jowf, we saw in the distance 
the palms of Ithera once again. We had been 
absent thirty-three days, instead of thirty-five, 
as Khy-Khwan had said we should. On arriv- 
ing at Ithera, the first thing I noticed was the 
absence of the tent that sheltered the diseased 
man. I suppose he had died and the tent had 
been removed. After a few hours' rest Khy- 
Khwan, who had faithfully completed the con- 
tract made for the four gold pieces, came to 
me, and leading me a little distance away from 
the guest-room showed me a small hut built of 
mud brick, with a door about three feet high and 



238 EXCITING TIMES IN DESERT AND TOWN 

two wide, and told me it was to be my lodging 
place as long as I stayed at Ithera. I told him 
I should like to get away as soon as I could. I 
had been away from my home and friends for 
some months, and no news had been exchanged 
between us. There was no opportunity. I 
went into the hut ; it was very dirty and dusty. 
Lying about were old earthen jars and a few 
rough, wooden boxes. These had some old dates 
in them, and I was told I could eat all I wanted. 
The dust on the floor was inches deep. I 
carried my two saddle-bags up there and sat 
down. Evening came and I was given a bowl 
of water and a little bread. No light was 
brought, so I went in search of Khy-Khwan 
and asked him for a lamp, and something to 
lie on and cover myself with. These were 
refused me, and I was told to return to my 
place. I did so, and being weary I lay down in 
the dust, put a large mud brick for a pillow, and 
tried to sleep. But I soon found I was not 
alone ; creepers were in abundance. I felt them 
on my face and hands, got up and struck one 
of my precious matches, and revealed a variety 
of creeping things, including scorpions and 
lizards. The situation was not inviting, and I 
could only keep on the move all that night and 
wait for the morning. At last it came, and I 



EXCITING TIMES IN DESERT AND TOWN 239 

sought out Khy-Khwan and told him he must 
send me on my way home. I would not stay 
in the hut he had consigned me to. He said 
he was going my way in three or four days, 
and we would journey together. He took me 
to his house and told his wife she was to give 
me breakfast. I then went among the men of 
the place, asking if any of them would go with 
me to Orman, a six days' journey. They all had 
one answer, " Give three English pounds a 
day [fifteen dollars], and we will convey you to 
Orman." I soon found that a price had been 
fixed for me to pay to any one that I could ar- 
range with. Almost every day of the eleven I 
was detained by the immovability of the people. 
I saw companies of men leave for the districts 
north and west. If they had been able to pro- 
vide me a camel to ride, I might have gone with 
them, but they were walking. I made friends 
with one man, who, I think, pitied me. He 
would go with me into the palm groves and tell 
me all about the treatment of the palm. I 
learned some interesting things, helping me to 
understand Psalm xcii. 1 2 in much of its teach- 
ing. The palm is useful, beautiful, fruitful 
when joined to another, grows from inside and 
not from the exterior, rejoices the heart of man, 
and other things, all possible to the righteous. 



240 EXCITING TIMES IN DESERT AND TOWN 

The same man took me out and showed me 
how the Arabs there, as well as at Kaf, pro- 
cured the salt they sold to the caravans. In 
the sand were many springs of strong brine. 
This was ladled up and poured into beds on 
the sand, and allowed to remain until nearly 
all the moisture had evaporated. Then a man 
with a basket and a board waded into the 
deposit and scraped up the snow-white crystals. 
These were put up in heaps to dry, and then 
carried to the village and stored in bins of mud 
brick to await buyers. The money value of a 
camel load of salt was about thirty cents. 

During three days of my enforced stay there 
I had fever, but no one cared. The nights 
were the worst part of the time. I could hear 
the creepers moving about overhead and around 
me, and one morning saw in the dust distinct 
traces of a snake that had passed by me. I felt 
that I was a prisoner and that the story of the 
chief going my way was all false. He hoped 
the delay would have made me offer money, 
but I had none to offer, for all had been taken 
from me, as well as my shoes, kettle, soap, comb, 
towel, underclothes, and many other things all 
useful to me. 

One morning I saw a man come in that I 
had seen in Kaf. I went to him, and he told 



EXCITING TIMES IN DESERT AND TOWN 241 

me what I had heard the third day of my ar- 
rival, viz. that the chief of Kaf was away. 
Had he been at home, I would have walked 
over to Kaf and thrown myself on his mercy. 
At last I made up my mind to tackle Khy- 
Khwan in earnest. It was the morning of the 
eleventh day. I found him and said, " If you 
don't send me away to-day, I will start out into 
the desert alone, and if I die, my blood will be 
upon you." 

He began to excuse himself, but I kept at 
him. At last he said, " Well, I will send you 
away; and may you never return again!" He 
called a man and told him to go and bring a 
beast for me. In about an hour a poor, skinny 
donkey was brought that could hardly carry my 
now almost empty saddle-bags. 

I asked for a camel so that I might ride, but 
was told I must walk. So, minus breakfast and 
farewells, I set off with this unknown man. 
He had been told that he was to leave me with 
the first lot of Arabs he came across. 

Walking through heavy sand under a hot 
sun was hard work, and after two hours I gave, 
in and sank down on the sand exhausted. The 
man was a little ahead with the donkey; I 
called to him, and he stopped, took the bags off 
the donkey, and turned all the contents on to 



242 EXCITING TIMES IN DESERT AND TOWN 

the sand. He handled the boxes of exposed 
plates, and their weight made him think it was 
money. With his dagger he ripped open two 
boxes and emptied two dozen plates out on the 
sand, not knowing what to make of such things. 
He appropriated my last pair of socks, some 
papers, and a jar of beef tea, thinking it was 
ointment. An empty soup tin I had kept to 
boil a drop of water in he took. Having buried 
these things in the sand, he came back to me 
and told me to get up and follow or he should 
go and leave me ; I rose and hobbled after him, 
keeping it up for two hours, although in agony 
from aching limbs and thirst. At last we saw 
in the distance a palm and pitched near it, an 
Arab house. Never was a sight more welcome, 
or a shelter so acceptable. The owner of the 
tent came out to me and carried in the bags, 
then helped me in, and gave me a corner in the 
tent. The children, nearly naked, and his four 
wives, sat down near me and watched me, giv- 
ing vent to expressions of pity for me and 
curses and oaths for those who had thus 
treated me. Some dates were given me to 
eat and some dirty butter to help them down. 
I stayed five days with these simple people of 
the desert, and they showed me no small 
kindness. 




PHOTOGRAPH BY A. FORDER 

AN ARAB WOMAN CHURNING BUTTER 

The Arabs make many things from milk, which is plentiful in the springtime. Here is seen 
a very primitive churn, — it is a sheepskin slung on a tripod. By being jerked to and fro, the 
fat in the milk accumulates and becomes butter, which is eaten with dates and considered a 
great luxury. 



EXCITING TIMES IN DESERT AND TOWN 243 

On the fifth day a party of men with camels 
came to the tent. They were on their way to 
Damascus. I had hoped to be able to go due 
west and so reach Jerusalem, but it was im- 
possible. So after much bickering with the 
leader of the party, composed of twelve camels 
and eighteen men, he consented to take me on 
to Orman on payment of about two dollars. 
But I had no money, and he insisted on pay- 
ment beforehand. I told him I had money at 
Orman, and at last he said he would let me 
ride on the top of one of the loads; so I set 
off on another stage of my homeward journey. 
All went well for the first two days ; the men 
were a decent lot and kindly disposed. On 
the third morning I got up, ready for an early 
start as usual, but was told that six of the 
camels had strayed away during the night and 
some of the men had gone off to look for them. 
We wasted that day staying where we were, but 
no trace of the camels could be found, so the 
six loads of salt, twelve sacks, were emptied out 
on the sand, the sacks buried, and it was settled 
to start about midnight. The next two days 
passed and I asked when we should reach 
Orman. The answer was, " We are not going to 
Orman ; I killed a man there once and I ami 
afraid to enter the place. We will leave you 



244 EXCITING TIMES IN DESERT AND TOWN 

at a village named Umm-Rowman, about two 
hours away from Orman." I was sorry to hear 
this, as it meant going among strangers again 
and having to arrange to get to Orman, and, 
being moneyless, it was hard to do. 

On the afternoon of the sixth day we came 
to the hamlet of Umm-Rowman, the inhabit- 
ants being Mohammedans, Druzes, and a few 
Catholics. I was lodged with a man known to 
the one that had come with me, and he made 
arrangements for me to be taken to Orman, 
and for the man that took me to bring back the 
money in payment for my journey. Next day 
I was taken to Orman, and had a hearty wel- 
come from the people I had left many weeks 
before. It was most encouraging to me to 
hear them say, " We have never let a day pass 
without asking God to keep you and bring you 
back to us safe and well." Of course I had 
to tell them what had taken place and all that 
had occurred on my journeys. The man I had 
left my money with gave it back to me as I 
had given it to him. 

I stayed a few days with these kind people, 
and was besieged for Scriptures, but I was sold 
out. Then, mounted on a donkey, in company 
with one man, I left for Damascus. The night 
before I left a soldier came to the guest-room 



EXCITING TIMES IN DESERT AND TOWN 245 

asking for the Christian that had returned from 
the Jowf. The official at Sulkhud, the castle 
and town I had passed in the fog, had heard of 
me, and wanted to see me, and I was to take 
him a Bible, if I had one. So next morning I 
went over to him. He was very civil ; told me 
I had done a bold and dangerous thing, and he 
would have stopped me had he known about 
me earlier. I did not enlighten him as to how 
I passed him three months before. He was 
glad of the Bible, and told me he wanted to 
read it. Five days later I looked down on 
Damascus, the earthly paradise of the Arab, 
and soon after was lodged in the home of one 
of my native friends there. A hearty welcome 
was given me by my kind friends, Mr. and Mrs. 
Richards, at the British Consulate. They were 
much relieved at my turning up after so long an 
absence. From there I sent word of my safe 
return to my family and friends, who, by this 
time, were getting anxious as to my safety. 
Having rested a few days, I set off again, this 
time under better circumstances, for my home 
in Jerusalem, and, after nine days' riding, at last 
looked down on the Holy City once more, just 
three and a half months from the time I had 
left it. The first move toward Arabia from the 
north was over ; fifteen hundred miles had 



246 EXCITING TIMES IN DESERT AND TOWN 

been traversed during the journey ; about two 
hundred and fifty Arabic Scriptures were sold 
or distributed among these hitherto neglected 
people ; hundreds of leaflets and booklets given 
away, all bearing on the plan of salvation ; and 
it is not saying too much to say that many 
hundreds heard by the spoken Word that with- 
out faith in Jesus the Son of God there could 
be no forgiveness of sin or eternal life. Look- 
ing back on these accomplishments, we ask, 
" What will the harvest be ? " and, looking on, 
wonder how long must elapse ere — 

Arabia's desert ranger 

To Him will bend the knee, 

and " the kings — chiefs — of Sheba and Seba 
offer gifts, and fall down before and serve 
Him" (Ps. Ixxii. 10, 1 1). If the perusal of 
these pages will lead the reader to take an in- 
terest in the inhabitants of Kedar, and give 
themselves to obey the command of Matthew 
ix. T,8, the fatigue, hardships, and dangers of 
my journeyings will be amply repaid. 

Let all be in the spirit of expectation for the 
fulfilment of Psalm Ixxii. 9, when " The dwell- 
ers in the desert shall bow before Him." 



CHAPTER XXII 

THE RELIGION OF THE ARABS 

MANY years of close intercourse with the 
Arabs, of both town and tent, have 
given me a fairly good insight into their re- 
ligious as well as social life. The religion of 
Islam, embraced by the majority of the Arabs, 
is one that holds its adherents as in a vice. 
There is nothing in it that is ennobling or 
helpful to social or domestic life. On the con- 
trary the followers of Mohammed are under a 
heavy yoke because of the requirements of 
their religion. I will try and give the main 
beliefs of this people to show the reader how 
earthly and exacting are the things that the 
Arab has to carry out in order to get the favor 
of God and Mohammed. But first a short ac- 
count of the institutor of this religion with its 
more than two hundred millions of adherents. 

In the sixth century the Jews and the Chris- 
tians had their synagogues and churches in 
Arabia. In that land of freedom the Magians 
reverenced and practised the doctrines of Zoro- 

247 



248 THE RELIGION OF THE ARABS 

aster, and the Sabians adored their planetary 
deities. The worship of the sun, moon, and 
fixed stars was the primitive religion of the 
Arabs, and was a system naturally formed and 
adopted by a people who, in travelling through 
immense deserts, contemplated and were guided 
by the regularity of the motions of the heav- 
enly bodies. 

Of all the various tribes of the Arabians, 
that of the Koreish held the distinguished 
rank. To them had been consigned the honor- 
able office of guarding the Caaba, the sacred 
temple at Mecca, and the supremacy in reli- 
gious affairs was accompanied with submission 
to their temporal sway. Of this tribe came 
one, Abdullah, who married the fair Amina of 
the noble tribe of the Zarites, and from them 
came the victorious enthusiast of the east. 
The dawn of Mohammed's fame was dark with 
many clouds. The death of his father in early 
infancy left the future Lord of Arabia the pos- 
sessor of five camels and one slave. The child- 
hood of Mohammed was soon deprived of 
maternal care, and he was — so tradition says 
— put out to nurse with a Bedouin family. 
He remained in obscurity until about twenty- 
five, when the office of manager to a wealthy 
widow, and soon the possession of her hand 



THE RELIGION OF THE ARABS 249 

and fortune, raised him to an equality with any 
in Mecca. 

When Mohammed was a youth, and before 
he married, he made several journeys with 
yearly caravans into Syria. When not engaged 
in bartering or trading, he used to visit a mon- 
astery near the camping-ground of the caravan. 
The youth from the desert was favorably re- 
ceived by the monks, and during his short stays 
and occasional visits, they told the thoughtful 
lad about the True God, the maker of the uni- 
verse and all that it contains. The Meccan 
youth learned also from the monastery resi- 
dents that God alone was to be worshipped and 
none other. This teaching was new to Mo- 
hammed, and contrary to anything he had 
learned or seen among his own people in and 
about Mecca. Two results came from the 
teaching of the monks. First, the recovery of 
all Arabia from idolatry to the worship of God, 
and the birth and spread of a religious system 
that has become the greatest antagonist Chris- 
tianity has ever had to contend with. 

He had always been remarkable for a serious 
deportment and strict attention to devotional 
exercises ; every year he was wont to retire for 
a month to a cave for the purposes of fasting, 
prayer, and meditation. Such a life urged him 



250 THE RELIGION OF THE ARABS 

at length to proclaim himself a prophet sent 
from heaven to preach the unity of the God- 
head, and to restore to its purity the religion of 
Abraham and Ishmael. Thus was founded the 
religion of Islam in the year 609 a.d., with 
" There is no God but God, and Mohammed is 
His Messenger" for its simple creed. This 
sentence repeated in sincerity by any outsider 
constitutes him " one of the Faithful." 

So rapid has been the spread of this religion 
that there is hardly a land to be found without 
its adherents, and that in the short space of 
about 1290 years. The requirements of Islam 
are many ; only a few of the principal ones can 
be mentioned in this chapter. First and fore- 
most comes 

Prayer 

At the appointed times, viz. daybreak, noon, 
late afternoon, sunset, and two hours later, the 
Muazzin, inviter, with his face turned toward 
Mecca, proclaims at the top of his voice from 
the gallery of the minaret that the hour of de- 
votion has come. This is the proclamation: 
" God is great, God is great, God is great, there 
is no God but God, and Mohammed is His 
Messenger; come to prayer. Great God, there 
is no God but God." In the morning he adds, 



THE RELIGION OF THE ARABS 25 1 

" Prayer is better than sleep, prayer is better 
than sleep." As soon as the voice of the crier 
is heard the devout Moslem prepares for 
prayer. Ministers of State suspend business; 
the tradesman gives up his dealings with his 
customers and converts his shop into a mosque. 
In four or five positions the prayers are re- 
peated ; these prayers are merely a vain repeti- 
tion of the first chapter of the Koran, with 
petitions added for the prophet and patriarchs, 
and being interpreted would mean — 

In the name of God, the Merciful, the Compassionate. 

Praise be to God who the two worlds made ; 

Thee do we entreat, and Thee do we supplicate ; 

Lead us in the way, the straight, 

The way of those on whom Thou hast compassion, 

Not of those on whom is hate, 

Nor those that turn aside. — Amen. 

Purification or Ablution 

No religious act is acceptable to God un- 
less the body, not heart, has previously been 
cleansed. In the courtyards of all mosques 
are to be found cisterns or fountains, to which 
the faithful resort to prepare themselves for 
the prayers. The face, arms, and feet have to 
be well washed, and whilst this operation is in 
progress, the devotee is muttering short ejacu- 



252 THE RELIGION OF THE ARABS 

lations to the effect that Satan maybe removed 
far from him. The Koran permits the traveller, 
in place of water, to rub the prescribed parts 
with sand and so cleanse himself from all out- 
ward defilement. Having no water near at hand 
ofttimes makes a good excuse to omit prayers 
and go on with some more urgent business; 
even in the desert the hour of prayer is faithfully 

observed. 

Fasting 

In the religion of Islam fasts take an impor- 
tant place, but none so important as the Fast 
of Rumathan, observed in remembrance of the 
yearly visit of Mohammed to a cave to medi- 
tate, pray, and fast for a month, during which 
period the Koran was revealed to him. Perfect 
abstinence from every kind of support to the 
body is commanded, from the rising to the set- 
ting of the sun. The pious pass the hours in 
meditation and prayer, the careless grandee 
sleeps the tedious time away, whilst the indus- 
trious mechanic or husbandman, compelled to 
work, feels the rigor of the fast. Night, minus 
the light, is turned into day, and vice versa. 
When the fast falls on a month in the summer, 
with its long days and extreme heat, the absti- 
nence is almost intolerable ; men get fretty and 
cross, and ofttimes are sorely tempted secretly to 



THE RELIGION OF THE ARABS 253 

give way and break the fast. The Feast of 

Rumathan is the most important time of the 

year. 

Pilgrimage 

The feast being past, the pilgrimage to Mecca 
begins to occupy the mind of the faithful. The 
men of rank, weakly through ill-health, or tied 
by business, perform this arduous duty by the 
sending and devotions of a substitute. The 
desert journey is more acceptable to God as 
entailing more fatigue, danger, and expense, 
and consequently is more meritorious. On 
arriving at the precincts of the Holy Land, a 
prescribed circle around Mecca, the pilgrim 
must make an entire ablution with water and 
sand, repeat a prayer almost naked, clothe him- 
self with the Ihram, or sacred garment, and 
sandals to defend the soles of his feet from the 
hot sand. So-called spiritual meditation is now 
the employment, worldly occupations and pleas- 
ures being forbidden. Many are the ceremo- 
nies and observances of the days spent at Mecca. 
The offering of sacrifices on Mount Ararat, in 
commemoration of the offering up of Ish- 
mael, not Isaac, according to Arab belief by 
Abraham, and stoning the devil are two of the 
principal things of the pilgrimage at Mecca. 
The return of the pilgrim to his far-away town 



254 THE RELIGION OF THE ARABS 

and village is a time of general rejoicing, and 
forever after the pilgrim is a much-honored 
man. 

Almsgiving 

One of the early caliphs said, " Prayer car- 
ries us halfway to God, fasting brings us to 
the door of his palace, and alms procure us 
admission." A tenth part of the property 
which has been for twelve months in the pos- 
session of an individual is the demand on his 
charity by the Mohammedan law. The duty 
of almsgiving is not, however, considered to be 
performed in all its extent. The productions 
of cornfields, olive groves, and vineyards are 
not gathered in the East with minute scrupu- 
losity. To the poor are assigned the gleanings. 
Mohammed permits his followers to enjoy corn, 
dates, olives, pomegranates, and all other bless- 
ings, but commands that in the harvest and 
vintage the poor shall have their share. A 
Mohammedan never refuses food to one that 
begs for such, and ofttimes accompanies the gift 
with a coin. On feast days they are unusually 
liberal. 

Meditation 

The sacred book of the Mohammedans is 
the Koran, believed to have been bound in 



THE RELIGION OF THE ARABS 255 

sections in silk and adorned with gems. It 
contains the substance of Mohammed's pre- 
tended revelations from heaven, which were 
given to him in his yearly visits to a cave dur- 
ing the month called Rumathan. The sub- 
stance of the revelations was inscribed on blade 
bones, leaves of palm trees, and the skins of 
animals. A copy of these fragments v/as in- 
trusted to the charge of one of Mohammed's 
favored wives, and was eventually put into 
volume form. The Koran is divided into one 
hundred and fourteen chapters, and these again 
into verses. The Mohammedans are supposed 
never to touch or read this book without wash- 
ing their hands, neither must it be held below 
the waist. 

The teachings of the Koran are many : No 
God but God ; four angels of great importance, 
and so to be had in dread — Gabriel, Michael, 
Azriel, the angel of death, and Israfeel, the 
angel of the resurrection ; prophets and Scrip- 
tures, the latter of which contained God's will 
for man, but they have been entirely lost, and 
what now exists is only a fabrication written 
and framed to suit the Christian religion. The 
Koran teaches that Jesus the Son, not of God, 
but of Mary, was the last prophet of the Jews, 
the true Messias, the worker of miracles, and 



256 THE RELIGION OF THE ARABS 

preacher of righteousness ; but the crucifixion 
is denied. Jesus escaped from the Jews and was 
caught up into heaven, and another in his form 
and image suffered on the cross. Although 
the divinity and atonement of Christ are 
denied, they do admit that he was born in a 
miraculous manner at the command of God. 
Thus it will be seen that in this so-called reli- 
gion God's plan of salvation is ignored and in 
its place nothing substituted. 

The Moslem, if honest, will admit that in his 
religion there is no salvation from sin, but com- 
forts himself with the assurance, " God is merci- 
ful — I will be as good as I can and leave the 
rest to Mohammed." A paradise full of every- 
thing to satisfy the sensual gratification of the 
follower of the Koran is promised to him who 
faithfully observes the commands of God and 
his prophet. In contradiction to the seventh 
day observed by the Jews and the first day 
kept by the Christians, the founder of Islam 
commanded that the Friday be set apart for 
worship and teaching, hence the name " Yowm- 
el-Jumma," the day of gathering. All that are 
able must attend the service at noonday to 
listen to the sermon given by the religious 
head of the place. In the towns of the East 
one can ofttimes see fishing-nets spread over 




VIEW ON THE RIVER ABANA, DAMASCUS 

One of the attractions of Damascus is the beautiful ri\er that flows through it, turniny 
mills and looms, and causing many acres of land to produce large crops. On the banks of 
the river are many beautiful gardens, and groves of fruit trees, under which the natives sit 
and pass much of their time. The Abana rises in the Lebanon. 



THE RELIGION OF THE ARABS 257 

the entrance to a store, meaning that the 
keeper of the place is gone to prayers. 

This short sketch will give the reader a 
simple idea of the religion and requirements 
of Islam. Surely the conclusion must be that 
these people are as far from the salvation of 
God as the heathen of the islands of the sea, 
and are as much in need of the gospel being 
preached to them as any other of the " all the 
world." " Pray ye therefore the Lord of the 
harvest " for these who are in the bondage and 
darkness of Islam. 



CHAPTER XXIII 

CUSTOMS SUBSTANTIATING SCRIPTURE 

IT is not my purpose to enter into all the 
details of the everyday life and manners of 
the Arabs, but only to mention a few that 
stand out prominently among many others, 
which have their origin in the scriptures. It 
is interesting to remember that, although the 
foregoing are in daily practice, it is not because 
the people get their instructions from the Bible; 
with them it has been the custom for thou- 
sands of years, and has been passed down from 
generation to generation. The perusal of these 
things also makes the Bible very real and, 
without doubt, true. Being in close touch 
with these people of the East and the land of 
the Bible gives special facility for the study 
of everyday life. 

Hiding Valuables 

Genesis xxxv. 4 : " And they gave unto Jacob 
all the strange gods which were in their hand, 
and all their earrings which were in their ears, 

258 



CUSTOMS SUBSTANTIATING SCRIPTURE 259 

and Jacob hid them under the oak which was 
by Shechem." Joshua vii. 21: "When I saw 
among the spoils a goodly Babylonish garment, 
and two hundred shekels of silver, and a wedge 
of gold of fifty shekels weight, then I coveted 
them, and took them ; and, behold, they are hid 
in the midst of my tent." Hidden treasure is 
always being found even in these days. One 
popular idea of the Arabs about a stranger 
coming among them is that he is seeking 
buried treasure, and being in the possession of 
books knows just where to locate and find it. 
The custom of burying treasure and valuables 
was, no doubt, caused by the absence of any 
safe deposit with man in which to put things 
for keeping. Anything buried was only known 
to the hider, and it ofttimes happened that 
death or war carried off the depositor, and so 
his hoard was left to be turned up long years 
after. That this custom is still common will 
be substantiated by the following. 

In company with an Arab I was travelling 
over the Plains of Moab ; my man had with 
him a revolver that he valued very much, and 
if it had been seen by the authorities, it would 
have been taken from him. We saw coming 
toward us a body of men that we thought were 
Turkish soldiers — as they turned out to be. 



26o CUSTOMS SUBSTANTIATING SCRIPTURE 

He was alarmed for his weapon, but was equal 
to the occasion ; coming on a large, flat stone, 
he sat down by it, and called me to do the 
same. I did so, and watched him. He care- 
fully turned over the stone, scooped out a hole, 
and put his revolver in it, then covered it with 
earth and replaced the stone as before. He 
told me at some future time he would get the 
weapon, which he did a month later. 

Another time, when living in Kerak, a man 
came to me begging some oilcloth and sealing- 
wax to wrap a small bag of money in. He told 
me he was going out into the mountains to 
hide it. " I cannot trust my father, brother, or 
son to keep it, so am going to put it in a safe 
place," he said ; and away he went alone to 
hide his possessions. 

Retaining Garments 

Exodus xxii. 26, 27: "If thou at all take 
thy neighbor's garment to pledge, thou shalt 
deliver it to him by that the sun goeth down : 
For that is his covering, it is his only covering, 
wherein shall he sleep." 

Going to bed is a very simple matter with 
Arabs; more often than not the place where 
you may be reclining becomes your bed. 
Guest-rooms and tents are bare of furniture ; 



CUSTOMS SUBSTANTIATING SCRIPTURE 261 

mats and rugs are spread, and on these we 
sleep. Nothing in the way of covering is pro- 
vided, so that every one must possess his own. 
Here comes in the utiHty of the large cloak — 
abba — of the Arab. When he wants to sleep, 
it is capacious enough to cover him, and being 
closely woven keeps out the cold or wind. 
With one of these handy the sleeper can cover 
himself just where he happens to be. To keep 
a man's outer covering is a great crime, as I 
found out once by experience. It happened in 
Kerak. 

I was sitting in our room with my face 
toward the open door, when I saw a sheet that 
had been hung out to dry slowly disappear 
upward. I ran out and up on to the roof of 
the house, and saw a man running off with the 
sheet under his arm. I gave chase and soon 
overtook him, but could not get hold of him 
because of his loose, flying garments. I held 
on to his outer cloak, and finding he was likely 
to be captured, he dropped the sheet and 
slipped his cloak, leaving it in my hands, he 
making off as hard as his legs could carry him. 
I returned to my room with sheet and cloak in 
my possession. This was about noon. Soon 
some men came asking the return of the cloak. 
I said the thief must come for it himself. 



262 CUSTOMS SUBSTANTIATING SCRIPTURE 

Twice they applied, but I refused to give it 
to them. They told me I was doing wrong 
by retaining it, but I was ignorant of their cus- 
tom then. Just before evening the chief, with 
some of his sons, came and asked for the cloak, 
telling me that I was withholding the man's 
covering for the night, and if he died from 
exposure, his blood would be upon me. They 
told me of their custom, and impressed me 
with the fact that by my action I was doing 
very wrong. So I gave up the garment, and 
have since learned that custom with them is a 
thing not easily broken, even under such cir- 
cumstances. 

Pronunciation 

Judges xii. 5, 6 : " And the Gileadites took 
the fords of Jordan toward Ephraim : and it 
was so, that when any of the fugitives of 
Ephraim said. Let me go over, that the men 
said unto him, Art thou an Ephraimite } If 
he said. Nay; then said they unto him, say 
now Shibboleth, and he said Sibboleth : for he 
could not frame to pronounce it right." 

Here the distinguishing feature between 
these two tribes was not dress, action, or ap- 
pearance, but the pronunciation of certain 
words, and by this it was known if they were 



CUSTOMS SUBSTANTIATING SCRIPTURE 263 

friend or foe. To-day a man only has to speak, 
and by the pronunciation of certain words the 
Hstener can detect from what town or village 
he hails from. The pronunciation of Hebron 
is very different from that of Damascus, and 
even that of Jerusalem and Bethlehem, only 
about five miles apart, is very marked. It 
would be rude, on a stranger entering a guest 
or other room, to ask him where he is from ; 
the Arabs wait until he begins to talk, and 
then from the words he uses and his pronun- 
ciation they can generally tell where he comes 
from. A smart man, to conceal his native 
place, will ofttimes use the terms of those he 
may be among for the time being. 

Hospitality 

Judges xix. 4, 5 : "And his father-in-law, 
the damsel's father, retained him, and he abode 
with him three days : so they did eat and drink, 
and lodged there. And it came to pass on the 
fourth day, when they arose early in the morn- 
ing, that he rose up to depart," etc. 

Every town and village among the Arabs is 
provided with a room open for the accommo- 
dation of all comers — the stranger and the 
traveller. It is the pride of a settlement to 
have it said about it, " Every house is a guest- 



264 CUSTOMS SUBSTANTIATING SCRIPTURE 

room." To the traveller these places are most 
valuable, affording as they do shelter for the 
night, protection from robbers, and provision 
for man and beast. The head man of the place 
generally likes to entertain the guests, although 
the humblest inhabitant will gladly provide 
food and shelter for any that present themselves 
at their doors. A saying of the Arab runs 
thus, " The guest comes in the place of God, 
and we willingly give what he needs." The 
guest is entitled by custom to three days' hos- 
pitality ; during that time he is supposed to be 
able to transact the business that has brought 
him to the place. The host likes to have his 
guests on hand early in the afternoon, so that 
the best supper possible may be prepared for 
them. Another saying runs, " The guest of 
the evening does not sup," because no time has 
been allowed to prepare for him, so he has to 
take what he can get. If circumstances keep 
a man in a place longer than three days, he 
must go to another house for accommodation. 

An Arab is judged by the way he treats his 
guests. " The coffee-pot is never off the fire " 
speaks well for a good host. Whilst under 
the roof or tent of an Arab, the belongings of a 
guest are considered safe, also his life. Great 
indignation was caused during my stay at 



CUSTOMS SUBSTANTIATING SCRIPTURE 265 

Ithera because one evening my saddle-bags 
were rifled. It was the duty of my host to find 
the thief or to replace my stolen goods, but I 
spared him the trouble. The person of the 
guest is also much respected, and no one, even 
an enemy, must molest him whilst under a 
host's roof. The story of Genesis xix. i-ii is 
made plain, and the action of Lot understand- 
able, when we remember the respect the east- 
ern has for his guest. Lot refused to give his 
guests to the howling Sodomites, offering to 
them his two daughters rather than expose his 
two visitors to the evil designs of the men of 
Sodom. I have ofttimes experienced the bene- 
fit of this custom, especially when assailed by 
the Turkish official, as recorded in another part 
of this book; he — my host — would rather 
offend a member of the government than 
allow me, his guest, to be interfered with. 

A liberal host keeps his guests well supplied 
with coffee. This beverage, taken without 
milk or sugar, has many little ways in being 
dealt with. No more than a tablespoonful must 
be given at a time — to fill one of the tiny cups 
would be an insult — and not more than two 
pourings out is allowed ; if a third one is given, 
it is a decided hint that the receiver is not 
wanted and had better get away as soon as 



266 CUSTOMS SUBSTANTIATING SCRIPTURE 

possible, possibly because some enemy or the 
avenger of blood is near. This custom, how- 
ever, only rules amongst some of the principal 
Bedouin tribes. The coffee is generally made 
by the host himself ; on no account is a woman 
allowed to make it. The green berries are 
roasted in a kind of a frying-pan, as required, 
and the average amount of coffee for a pint of 
water is about four ounces. More often than 
not one cup has to serve for a number of peo- 
ple ; every one drinks from the same cup without 
it being washed. 

Hasty Meals 

Genesis xii. 2-8; Judges vi. 19: In these 
two instances Abraham and Gideon had re- 
ceived unexpected visitors. In Abraham's 
case he concluded that his visitors had been 
turned aside to his tent by hunger; v. 5 very 
plainly teaches this, " I will fetch a morsel of 
bread, and comfort ye your hearts, after that ye 
shall pass on, for therefore are ye come to your 
servant." A very real picture of Arab life and 
custom this. 

Food is never given the traveller early in the 
day. The first meal of the Arab is taken 
about ten o'clock, so that the journeyer would 
lose the best part of the day if he stayed for 



CUSTOMS SUBSTANTIATING SCRIPTURE 267 

breakfast. If a village, encampment, or even 
tent is passed, it is quite permissible to turn aside 
and rest for a time and have some food. The 
Arab women are quick at getting a meal ready. 
Dough is kneaded and soon baked ; whilst this 
is in process, another is frying eggs, or melting 
some fat in which to dip the bread, whilst the 
old mother of the host or his eldest wife will be 
diving into the recesses of a sack or bundle of 
clothes for some very savory morsel wherewith 
to flavor the dish being prepared. If time per- 
mits, a lamb or kid is brought in from the flock, 
killed, dissected, and cooked, and served up in 
a very short space of time. 

I remember well a hasty meal being prepared 
for me. It was in the country south of Beer- 
sheba. We had been riding nearly all day and 
were hungry. We saw a tent in the distance 
and were soon sitting in it. Coffee was made, 
bread baked, and a fairly good meal served in 
about twenty-five minutes, and in a minute less 
than half an hour from the time we had alighted 
at the tent we were on our way again. As soon 
as we have eaten from what has been provided 
we resume our journey. Hearty thanks would be 
ill-mannered ; a hurried " May you always have 
plenty, if God will ! " is all the payment given for 
the kind, ready hospitality of the willing giver. 



268 CUSTOMS SUBSTANTIATING SCRIPTURE 

Feasting 

Genesis xxi. 8; xxix. 22 and 27; 1. 10; 
Judges xiv. 12 ; Esther i, 5 ; Job ii. 13. 

These Scriptures all bear on feasts held on 
occasions of weddings, deaths, or some other 
time prominent in the lives of those mentioned. 
The reader will note that the limit of the time 
for rejoicing or otherwise was seven days, and 
that time is still observed among the Arabs of 
city, village, town, or desert. It may not be 
out of place to briefly describe the mode of 
procedure on these occasions. First, we read 
of a feast being made on the day that Isaac was 
weaned. A child is rarely weaned under two 
years of age ; ofttimes a child even at three years 
may be seen at the breast. Having attained the 
age of two years, the child, especially a boy, is 
supposed to be able to do without nourishment 
from its mother and to take solid food enough 
to sustain it. It has passed through the first 
stage of life, and having lived to enter the 
second stage, it becomes a time of rejoicing. 
All the relations and near friends are invited to 
a meal, then the neighbors, and any others 
that may be around, even strangers, are all 
given an open invitation to come in, feast, and 
rejoice with the parents because their child has 



CUSTOMS SUBSTANTIATING SCRIPTURE 269 

been weaned. This is kept up for seven days, 
and is no small expense to the family, although 
made lighter by presents in kind to the fortunate 
child passing into a fresh state of its existence. 

Other of the references given refer to times 
of mourning. The Easterners do not keep their 
dead long after death. Climatic influences are 
against that custom. On the approach of death 
some of the male members of the family go out 
to dig a grave. Immediately after death the 
body is washed with warm water, wrapped in a 
new shroud, and carried out to be buried. 

Instances sometimes occur when persons are 
buried before they are dead ; having gone off 
into a state of collapse, the watchers conclude 
that death has taken place. I well remember a 
case that occurred in Kerak of a woman that 
was buried and resurrected. She had been ill 
and suddenly collapsed ; the relatives, thinking 
she was dead, carried her out and buried her, 
before the husband, who was away, knew what 
had occurred. On his return he went to the 
grave, and as he sat by it thought he heard 
moaning. He scraped away the earth and 
stones and found his supposed dead partner 
alive and able to speak. The earth is kept off 
the body by means of slabs of stone laid 
crossways on other stones. The woman was 



270 CUSTOMS SUBSTANTIATING SCRIPTURE 

taken back to her home and recovered, and 
as far as I know is still alive. I have seen 
her many times and talked with her. After 
that I had many calls to examine persons to 
see if they were really dead, the natives hav- 
ing great faith in the stethescope, or, as they 
call it, " The Scales of Life." 

The short time that has elapsed between 
death and burial is so occupied with other 
things that mourning to any extent is ex- 
cluded, but on returning to the house or tent 
the voice of mourning is at once heard. The 
men — for a man, not a woman — will give 
way to chanting the praises and virtue of the 
one dead ; the women will gather in the yard, 
or on the roof of the house recently bereaved. 
They will join hands and form themselves into 
a ring. One, in the centre, will compose lines 
on the dead man ; this will in turn be taken up 
by the others and sung in unison. Every few 
stanzas they will dance round in a circle, the time 
and harmony they keep being quite remarkable. 
On these getting weary, another batch will take 
their place, and so this goes on from early 
morning until past midnight. The immediate 
relatives of the dead will visit the grave, and wail 
and mourn there. These observances are kept 
up for seven days, during which time outsiders 



CUSTOMS SUBSTANTIATING SCRIPTURE 27 1 

keep the bereaved family supplied with food, 
thus enabling them to be free for the mourning. 
If an Important personage, such as a chief or 
religious head, dies, the usual mourning not 
only takes place, but all business and work Is 
suspended for seven days. 

I had practical proof of this on the death of 
my wife in Kerak. We could not understand 
why the Arabs shunned us at such a time. It 
was very noticeable that those that were most 
friendly to us did not come near. After a time 
they visited us again, and on being asked where 
they had been during some days they replied, 
" We have spent the days In our houses mourn- 
ing the death of the lady; we did not know 
your custom at such a time, so have stopped 
work, shut our shops, and mourned according 
to our own way." 

The Arabs east of the Jordan have another 
custom which shows a kindly feeling one 
toward another. If a man's horse dies, — next 
to his eldest son his best companion, — his 
neighbor will bring in another horse and put 
it in the stall of the dead one and allow it to 
remain seven days, thinking In some measure 
to make up for the loss of the dead animal. 
The women also do something similar when 
a baby dies. A relation or friend will give the 



2/2 CUSTOMS SUBSTANTIATING SCRIPTURE 

bereaved mother their baby to nurse and care 
for during seven days ; in that time the parent 
is supposed to become reconciled to her loss. 

Memory calls up a touching incident that 
occurred in our domestic life in Moab. Soon 
after our advent into that land my wife had 
the misfortune to lose a little one. It soon 
became known, and the women were very 
grieved about it. A day or two after, a young 
chief that had always been kindly disposed 
toward us presented himself at our door. I 
asked him in ; he entered, and from under his 
cloak brought a tiny white lamb. He put it 
into my wife's arms, saying, " I am sorry for 
your loss, and if I had a baby, would have lent 
it to you to care for until you had got over 
your grief; I had this lamb, so have brought 
it for you to look after, feed, and care for." 
He then went away, and next time I saw him 
he was dead, having been cruelly murdered by 
a hostile tribe near by. A month of mourning 
was observed for him, because he was so brave 
and generous and such a favorite with all the 
people. Not only in the country is seven days 
the time for mourning, but also in the towns 
of Palestine and Syria. 

Marriages are times for rejoicing and feast- 
ing, always of seven days' duration. The week 



CUSTOMS SUBSTANTIATING SCRIPTURE 273 

previous to the union of the two parties is 
wholly given up by the families of each one 
to pleasure. The bride and bridegroom, each 
in their own homes, are isolated in separate 
apartments to receive the congratulations and 
presents of relatives, friends, and neighbors. 
The males do not visit among the women, that 
would be a great breach of etiquette. " Every 
kind loves its kind," an Arab proverb, finds its 
place at these times. Outside, for seven days, 
continual feasting and coffee-drinking is going 
on. In a good family, twenty or twenty-five 
sheep will be slain to provide food for the 
visitors who come to rejoice with the family; 
in addition to these, quantities of rice and 
wheat will be cooked to fill up the corners. 
Fat and grease in abundance speaks much for 
the liberality of the contending families. In- 
side, among the women, the shy bride has to 
undergo daily washings and purifications to 
prepare her for the bridegroom. This is the 
only good washing she gets during her lifetime, 
so a very important time for her, and an arduous 
one for those told off to scrub her. The bride- 
groom does not get off without his share of 
scrubbing ; in addition he is smoked with vari- 
ous perfumes to make him sweet. At the end 
of the seven days' rejoicings a short religious 



274 CUSTOMS SUBSTANTIATING SCRIPTURE 

service brings a week of hard work to a close. 
The circumcision of a boy is also a time of 
rejoicing among both sexes. Enough has been 
said to show that the seven days of the Bible 
has in no way been shortened, proving how 
slow has been the advance of civilization 
among the descendants of Ishmael. Truly 
"They dwell alone" (Jer. xlix. 31). 

Buying Land 

Genesis xxiii. 17: "And the field, and the 
cave which was therein, and all the trees that 
were in the field, that were in the borders 
thereof, were made sure unto Abraham." 

It is very noticeable how particular the 
patriarch was in making this bargain. He 
might have bought the field, thinking that 
with it he was buying all that it contained, but 
on coming into possession, and going to pre- 
pare the cave for his dead, he would have been 
stopped by the late owner, and told, " You only 
bought the field, not the cave or trees that are 
in the field." So Abraham, in the deeds, had 
all in the field and the borders thereof made 
sure to him by being written down. It is a 
common thing in the East for a man to own 
a well in the middle of a garden or field that 
belongs to some one else. The well was found 



by the man who had bought the ground, and 
not having been specified in the deeds, the 
well, according to custom, belongs to the 
former owner of the land. So in buying land 
from the Arabs some such terms as the follow- 
ing are used : " A buys from B land in such 
a place, also all that can be seen on the land, 
trees and stones, also all that shall be found 
under the ground." This secures to the pur- 
chaser all that he finds, even treasure. This 
custom makes Abraham's action very under- 
standable. An ignoramus would soon be taken 
in at buying land in the East ; the seller would 
keep quiet so as to get a double benefit. This 
transaction, we read, took place in the presence 
of witnesses, a very needy precaution in a land 
and among a people that do not consider lying 
or cheating a sin, and where writing and docu- 
ments are almost unknown. 

Leviticus xix. 14: " Thou shalt not curse the 
deaf, nor put a stumbling block before the 
blind," is strictly observed by the Arabs of 
to-day. Any one afflicted is the object of pity 
and special care, and many of the mistakes 
made by any that are affiicted are always over- 
looked because of their infirmity. 

Deuteronomy xxiv. 20 : " When thou beatest 
thine olive tree, thou shalt not go over the 



2/6 CUSTOMS SUBSTANTIATING SCRIPTURE 

boughs again ; it shall be for the stranger, for 
the fatherless, and for the widow." 

This command, given to the children of 
Israel three thousand years ago, is still obeyed 
by the fortunate possessors of olive trees. The 
olive harvest commences in November. The na- 
tives go to the groves armed with sticks or bam- 
boos, ladders, baskets, and sacks. Some of the 
men go up into the tree, and give it a good 
beating, causing the berries to fall on the 
ground ; the women and children pick them up 
and put them in sacks and baskets. A return 
to the tree is not made ; what is left on or under 
it is for the poor. The olive forms part of 
the food of the Eastern, and a family owning 
one or two olive trees is fortunate indeed. 

Deuteronomy xxiii. 24, 25: "When thou 
comest into thy neighbor's vineyard, then thou 
mayest eat thy fill at thine own pleasure, but 
thou shalt not put any in thy vessel. When 
thou comest into the standing corn of thy 
neighbor, then thou mayest pluck the ears 
with thine hand ; but thou shalt not move a 
sickle unto thy neighbor's standing corn." 

To eat grapes, or parch nearly ripe corn, is 
quite permissible in the gardens or fields of 
the Arabs ; none will forbid you, but you 
must carry none home, except it be given you. 




AN ARAB FIDDLER 

The Arabs have tv/o kinds of music. This picture shows a youth playing a one-stringed 
fiddle, which is homemade. The other instrument is a double flute made from fine bamboos, 
and generally played by the shepherds when tending their flocks. 




WOMEN GRINDING AT THE MILL 

Steam mills among the Arabs are unknown. The women grind the flour as they need it. 
The mill consists of two stones, the upper revolving on the lower. The mill is fed through 
a hole in the center. It is considered a disgrace for a man to grind at the mill. 



CUSTOMS SUBSTANTIATING SCRIPTURE 277 

Grinding at the Mill 

Part of a woman's work is to grind the flour 
for daily use. No house or tent is without its 
hand-mill, and although everything else was 
stolen or bought from a dwelling or family, Deu- 
teronomy xxiv. 6 would be strictly observed, 
" No man shall take the mill to pledge, for he 
taketh a man's life to pledge." An expression 
of hard times is conveyed by saying, " The mill 
is silent," meaning, of course, that there is 
nothing to grind. House mills are of two 
kinds, those turned by the women and those 
turned by a donkey. In the latter case the 
beast is blindfolded so that he may not become 
giddy by having to go round a circle. It is 
considered a disgrace for a man to grind at the 
mill, hence the humiliating spectacle of Samson 
at the mill in the prison-house, fitted for such 
work by having had his eyes put out. 

Yearly Lamentations 

Judges xi. 39: "And it was a custom in 
Israel that the daughters of Israel went yearly 
to lament the daughter of Jephthah the Gil- 
eadite four days in a year." Visits to shrines 
form an important part in the life of an Arab. 
Every district has a shrine devoted to some 



278 CUSTOMS SUBSTANTIATING SCRIPTURE 

saint or great personage that was supposed to 
have had unusual power in bestowing special 
blessings. These places are called " meezars," 
or " willeys," and anything deposited near them 
is perfectly safe — supposed to be under the pro- 
tection of the saint of the shrine. It is quite 
a common sight to see tents, sacks of corn, 
ploughs, etc., left near these places ; no one 
would risk the wrath of the spirit by removing 
any of these deposits. 

Yearly visits are made to these shrines, and 
special blessings asked upon the family or flocks 
of the visitor to the shrine. Each section of 
the Mohammedans has shrines to those whom 
they most revere and whose teaching they fol- 
low, but there are a few shrines to which all go 
and either keep feast or make lamentations. 

Some of the principal shrines in Palestine 
and Arabia are those of Moses near the Jordan; 
Aaron on the summit of Mount Hor in Edom ; 
the prophets, Samuel, Jonah, and Reuben. The 
cave of Machpelah at Hebron is an important 
shrine to both Moslems and Jews alike. The 
burying-place of Mohammed at Medina, in 
Arabia, is, of course, the most important to 
every follower of the Arabian messenger. 

This chapter plainly demonstrates that the 
customs and practices in vogue thousands of 



CUSTOMS SUBSTANTIATING SCRIPTURE 279 

years ago and in constant use to-day by these 
isolated, semi-civilized people, goes a very long 
way toward substantiating the accounts of 
events and other things recorded in the Scrip- 
tures. The little advance made by civilization 
in Arabia has helped to preserve in detail and 
continuation many other interesting customs 
not dealt with in these pages, but all too com- 
mon among the descendants of Ishmael. 



CHAPTER XXIV 

ARABIA IN ITS RELATION TO THE BIBLE 

ARABIA, though chiefly an arid, sandy 
desert, is a country of much biblical and 
historical interest. It extends from west to 
east, commencing at the mouth of the Nile in 
Lower Egypt, to the Euphrates and Persian 
Gulf, a distance of about a thousand miles, and 
fourteen hundred miles from the Arabian Gulf 
to Syria in the north. The Arabs make two 
great divisions of their land ; the northern 
which they call Sham, or " the left," and the 
southern called Yemen, or " the right." But 
geographers have divided it into three separate 
regions : Arabia Deserta, Arabia Petrea, and 
Arabia Felix. 

The ancient Hebrews denominated this 
region " the east country " (Gen. xxv. 6), and 
its inhabitants " the children of the east " 
(Judg. vi. 3; Job i. 3; I K. iv. 30; Isa. ii. 14). 
By Arabia they only meant a small district of 
the country now so called (Ezek. xxvii. 21; 
2 Chron. xxi. 16, 17). Thus the Arabians are 

280 



ARABIA IN ITS RELATION TO THE BIBLE 28 1 

placed in connection with the PhiHstines (2 
Chron. xxvi. 7). By "all the kings of Arabia " 
(i K. X, 15; Jer. XXV. 24), we may understand 
the chiefs of wandering tribes who lived in 
tents. When the Apostle Paul speaks of having 
visited Arabia (Gal. i. 17), some imply that the 
country near Damascus is intended, others in- 
sist on Edom being the part visited. Which- 
ever is right, Arabia is included, and when he 
speaks of Sinai in Arabia (Gal. iv. 25), he used 
the name in its extended signification. 

Arabia is supposed to be so called from 
Arabah, that is, the desert, a district in Idumea. 
In Deuteronomy ii. 8, we read of the way of 
"the plain " in connection with Elath and Ezion- 
geber; in the original it is Ha-Arabah. As the 
Ishmaelitish inhabitants wandered over the ad- 
joining territories, the name became extended 
to them also. The Arabah consists of a great 
valley, deep, dreary, and desolate, beginning at 
Elath and Ezion-geber and extending to the 
Dead Sea, which is called "the sea of the plain," 
or Arabah, in Deuteronomy iv. 49 and Joshua 
iii. 16. 

The parts of the country bordering on Pales- 
tine and Egypt were originally peopled by 
Cush, the son of Ham, hence Cush became a 
general name for Arabian and African Ethiopia. 



282 ARABIA IN ITS RELATION TO THE BIBLE 

The pure Arabs trace their descent to Jok- 
tan, or Kahtan, the son of Heber of the pos- 
terity of Noah, Moses mentions thirteen sons 
of Joktan (Gen. x. 26-29), several of whose 
names are identified by Niebuhr and others with 
the provinces and towns of Southern Arabia. 
A native who can clearly trace his genealogy in 
this line is called "an Arab of the Arabs" to 
mark the purity of his descent. A third class, 
and probably those more generally found in 
these days, are the descendants of Ishmael, 
whose sons became twelve princes according to 
their nations in fulfilment of the Divine promise 
to Abraham in Genesis xvii. 20. Others of 
the tribes sprang from the second wife of Abra- 
ham, Keturah by name. 

The whole of these tribes is divided into 
two classes, the Arab-el-mudn, the dwellers in 
houses, and the Bedouin, whose habitation is 
the " house of hair," so called because the tent- 
cloth is composed of goat's hair, which is spun 
and woven by the women. This latter class 
lives entirely in the wilderness and desert, tend- 
ing their numerous flocks and herds, and to a 
considerable degree they maintain the pro- 
phetic declaration, " He will be a wild man ; 
his hand will be against every man, and every 
man's hand against him "(Gen. xvi. 12). 



ARABIA IN ITS RELATION TO THE BIBLE 283 

Arabia Deserta is mostly an extensive desert, 
with scarcely enough vegetation to support the 
camels by which it is traversed, and with only 
a few brackish springs and pools of water. 
Here and there on the highlands large cities are 
found around which palm groves and gardens 
have been cultivated. No river or perennial 
stream blesses Arabia Deserta, bringing fertility 
to its barren stretches and life to its isolated 
dwellers. The desert is encircled or intersected 
by barren mountains, with summits rising in 
rugged peaks. The air is dry, and whole years 
"occasionally pass without rain. Scripture gives 
an impressive picture of Arabia, " a land of 
deserts and of pits, a land of drought and of 
the shadow of death, a land that no man 
passeth through, and where no man dwelt " (Jer. 
ii. 6). A large portion of the country is to 
the present day but little known, and awaits 
the advent of the pioneer missionary, who of 
all pioneers should be the first one to cross 
and recross that isolated land. 

Arabia Petrea or Rocky Arabia derives its 
name from Petra, " the rock," from the many 
rocky districts found within its limits. To 
this wild but interesting region belongs a 
reverence which no other part of the earth, 
Judea excepted, can claim. It was the theatre 



284 ARABIA IN ITS RELATION TO THE BIBLE 

of many awful and extraordinary events re- 
corded in Jewish history, the sacred emi- 
nence of Sinai, on whose cloudy summit the 
deity made his pavilion of darkness when 
he first issued a system of written laws to 
the human race ; Horeb, with its burning bush 
and its caves, which gave shelter to Elijah when 
he fled from Jezebel ; the pastoral solitudes, 
where the Jewish deliverer, then an exile from 
Egypt, kept the flocks of Jethro, the priest of 
Midian ; Shur and Paran, with the bitter wells 
of Marah, and the smitten rock that yielded 
water ; the land of Uz, the scene of the wealth 
and woes of Job, of the trial of his patience and 
the triumph of his piety; all these locations are 
comprehended within the geographical limita- 
tions of Arabia Petrea.^ 

Arabia Felix, or " the Happy " is so called 
because of its superior fertility. It is moun- 
tainous, well watered, and yields good crops of 
grain, coffee, and fruit. The present inhabit- 
ants of the land are in a state of poverty, owing 
to many years of drought and the heavy taxa- 
tion of the Turkish government. In Arabia 
Felix, or, as it is better known, Yemen, thou- 
sands of Jews reside, having had their settle- 
ments there for many centuries. 

1 Crichton's "Arabia." 



ARABIA IN ITS RELATION TO THE BIBLE 285 

Among the people who did and who still 
occupy the three great divisions of Arabia the 
following are the most considerable : — 

I. The Edomites. The country of the chil- 
dren of Esau, " who is Edom," after he " went 
from the face of his brother Jacob," was at 
Mount Seir, an elevated tract stretching from the 
southern point of the Dead Sea to the Gulf of 
Ezion-geber. Its earliest inhabitants were the 
Horims, or dwellers in caves (Deut. ii. 12, 22). 
It was in after ages called, by the Greeks and 
Romans, Idumea. The Edomites were a war- 
like race, and gradually spread eastward and 
southward over an extensive country. They 
established several ports on the Red Sea, which 
were taken by David, and the kingdom of 
Edom was annexed to his house, until it re- 
volted in the days of Jehoram (2 Chron. xxii. 
8-10). 

About one hundred and fifty years before the 
Christian era, the Edomites were again subdued, 
and were from that time gradually incorporated 
among the Jewish people, and their national 
name became extinct. The land which once 
contained many cities and villages, and was 
the emporium of the commerce of the East, is 
now one of the most inaccessible parts of the 
Orient. 



286 ARABIA IN ITS RELATION TO THE BIBLE 

The chief city, Petra, — probably the Jok- 
theel of Scripture, — was situated in a deep 
ravine, or defile of rocks, which rises on either 
side to a vast height and forms a remarkable 
natural citadel of defence. In these rocks, 
reaching many hundred feet in height, are cut 
many of the dwellings and sepulchres of its 
former inhabitants, fully justifying their being 
compared to eagles' nests. Silence and ob- 
scurity hung over the ruins of this rock-hewn 
city for ages, until they were brought to light 
by Burckhardt early in the nineteenth century, 
and later by Laborde and Robinson. The 
writer has six times visited these interesting 
ruins, no doubt breaking any record concern- 
ing visits to Petra. 

The Edomites were in all ages hostile to 
the Hebrews; hence, by a figure of speech, the 
enemies of the true Israel of God are designated 
Edomites. 

2. The Moabites. The land inhabited by 
the descendants of the eldest son of Lot is 
on the east of Jordan and the Dead Sea; its 
history is very closely connected with the chil- 
dren of Israel. The people formed a powerful 
tribe, though too feeble to offer resistance to the 
progress of the Hebrews when on their way to 
Canaan. They, however, succeeded, conjointly 




PHOTOGRAPH BY A. FORDER 

PHAROAH'S TREASURY, THE MASTERPIECE OF EDOM 

This temple is cut from the rock, which is of rose-pink color. It is over eighty feet high, 
and more than two thousand years old. It contains three chambers, one thirty-five feet 
square, and two twenty-five feet square. Its sheltered position has preserved the elegant 
carving from destruction by the weather. The Arabs call this temple " the treasury of 
Pharoah." No one knows for what purpose this elaborate excavation was used. 



ARABIA IN ITS RELATION TO THE BIBLE 287 

with the Midianites, in enticing the children of 
Israel into idolatry and sin (Num. xxv). Their 
capital city was Ar, or Rabbath Moab, on the 
south side of the great gorge of Mojeb, through 
which flows the Arnon. By the Greeks it was 
called Areopolis, or " the city of Mars." Its 
ruins are very extensive and fairly well pre- 
served. 

The citadel or stronghold of Moab was Kir, 
now known as Kerak, where the writer of these 
pages lived for many years. The prophet Isaiah 
describes many of the chief towns of Moab as 
grieving over the conquest and desolation of the 
country, caused by the invasion of the Assyrians. 

3. The Amalekites had their possessions on 
the west of Edom ; they were called in the 
prophecy of Balaam " the first of the nations " 
(Num. xxiv. 20). They are described as occupy- 
ing the whole region from Shur in Egypt to 
Havilah, or the Persian Gulf (i Sam. xv. 7). 

4. The Midianites were the descendants of 
Abraham and Keturah, through their son Mid- 
ian ; they settled near Mount Horeb. A con- 
siderable part of their land was traversed by the 
Israelites on their way from Egypt to Canaan. 
There was a division or class of this people who 
were the allies of Moab (Num. xxii. 4, 5), and 
were overthrown by Gideon (Judges vi). 



288 ARABIA IN ITS RELATION TO THE BIBLE 

5. The Ammonites, the offspring of Ben- 
Amomi, the son of Lot, inhabited the country 
between the rivers Arnon and Jabbok. They 
were driven by the Amorites more to the east. 
These people were in constant hostility with 
the Israelites, and against them Jeremiah, 
Amos, Ezekiel, and Zephaniah were directed 
to prophesy. Their name disappears from his- 
tory before the birth of Christ ; they no doubt 
were merged into one of the great Arab tribes 
among whom they lived. 

6. The Ishmaelites. Nebajoth and Kedar 
were the two eldest sons of Ishmael (Gen. xv. 
13); the former gave the name to the region 
about Mount Hor; the latter wandered far into 
the desert, and abode in tents made of black 
goat's hair, hence the expression in Songs of 
Solomon i. 5, " black as the tents of Kedar." 
They are rich in herds (Isa. Ix. 7), and were 
expert and warlike archers (Isa. xxi. 16, 17; 
Ps. cxx. 5, 7) ; Dumah, the third son of Ish- 
mael, directed his way to the east, near the Per- 
sian Gulf. A prophecy was directed against 
his descendants (Isa. xxi. 11). Tema, the ninth 
son (Gen. xxv. 15), is spoken of in Isaiah xxi. 
14, in connection with the caravans of Dedan. 

The other sons of Ishmael spread over that 
part of Arabia which lies south of Palestine, 



ARABIA IN ITS RELATION TO THE BIBLE 289 

going as far as Shur, near Egypt, with which 
latter country they carried on commerce as 
early as the days of Jacob (Gen. xxxvii. 25, 
xxxix. i). 

The names of the twelve sons of Ishmael are 
perpetuated in tribes, families, villages, and 
districts still existing in Arabia. 

7. The Kenites, a tribe of Arabs dwelling 
near or among the Amalekites in the south- 
west part of Arabia Petrea. They showed 
kindness to the children of Israel when they 
came out of Egypt, and in return, Saul, when 
he went against the Amalekites, desired them 
to withdraw, that they might not share the fate 
of his enemies (Num. xxiv. 20, 21 ; i Sam.xv. 6). 



CHAPTER XXV 

A LOOK AHEAD 

IN a closing word, let me say that I hope 
my "'Ventures among the Arabs" are not 
yet over. I have told what it means to pioneer 
in the land of the Arab. Every year will make 
such work easier,and every journey will mean less 
opposition, and the more seen by the Arab of 
Protestant Christianity in contrast to the Chris- 
tianity of the Orient, so much more will misun- 
derstanding, prejudice, and fanaticism lessen. 

Of necessity, mission work in Arabia must 
for some time mean isolation, hardship, danger, 
and it may be death, but such always precede 
the success and ultimate triumph of the gospel, 
as illustrated by Judson in India, and Calvert 
among the cannibal of the South Seas. 

Mission stations, churches, and congregations 
may not for a time be established in Arabia, but 
that should not hinder the obeying of the March- 
ing Orders. 

" Go ye into all the world and preach," and 
thus by faithful witnessing, constant preaching, 

290 



A LOOK AHEAD 29 1 

and the distribution of the Word, the Arabs of 
tent and town may be gradually won for Jesus 
Christ, as the Africans were by Mackay's faithful- 
ness and the Chinese by Piercey's persistency. 

The work that has been represented in these 
pages has been partly independent. Organized 
societies have rarely supported pioneer move- 
ments in their initiative stages. The conse- 
crated means of God's people have again and 
again been put at the disposal of the pioneer 
and used for the opening up of new lands, so it 
seems to me it must be in the case of neglected 
Arabia. If some such result comes from read- 
ing this book, my labor in writing it will not 
have been in vain. 

God has thus far used me, and knowing well 
the terrible need, my heartfelt desire is, with the 
cooperation of others, to consummate the work. 

The opportunity to evangelize Ishmael is 
given us. Doors long closed are slowly open- 
ing, the years fast going by, and the arduous 
work still undone. Reader, 

"This matter belongeth unto thee " (Ezra x. 4). 

For the time is not far distant when, 

"The night shall be filled with music, 
And the cares that infest the day, 
Shall fold their tents, like the Arabs, 
And as silently steal away." 



292 A LOOK AHEAD 

The prayerful interest of the reader for the 
success of "'Ventures among the Arabs," past 
and prospective, will be much appreciated. 

Communications may be addressed to 

Mr. a. Forder, 

Care British Consul^ 
Jerusale^n, Palestine^ 

or to the publisher, 

Mr. W. N. Hartshorn, 
120 Boylston St,, 
Boston, Mass. 



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